Retrofit numbers have 'fallen off a cliff' since 2011

In 2011, some 41,621 cavity walls and 51,577 attic insulations were carried out, but those figures dropped to 4,896 and 6,195, respectively, towards the end of last year. Picture: Getty

The Government has been accused of ignoring "low-hanging fruit" and jeopardising retrofitting targets after figures showed that shallow retrofits in 2022 were below 2011 levels.

Shallow retrofits generally involve smaller works such as attic and cavity wall insulation retrofits and boiler with heating controls retrofits. The grants available for attic insulation ranges from €800 for apartments to €1,500 for detached homes and those improving their cavity wall insulation can receive between €700 and €1,700.