Exclusive: The scheme will provide a payment to employers or to the selfemployed to offset the costs involved in missing work. Want the latest political news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up to our FREE newsletter. We have more newsletters. Want the latest political news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up to our FREE newsletter. We have more newsletters. Plumbers or their employers will be paid up to 500 by the State for undergoing a heat pump installation course under a new scheme to be launched by the Government. Higher Education Minister Patrick O Donovan brought a plan to Cabinet last week that would see an incentive scheme established to encourage qualified plumbers to undertake training. The scheme will provide a payment to employers or to the selfemployed to offset the costs involved in missing work. The Government has set a target of installing 400,000 heat pumps by 2030 as part of the National Retrofit Plan. State funding currently covers training costs either partially or in full for indemand skills. Under the new Domestic Heat Pump Installation Incentive Scheme for Plumbers, there will be a contribution of 100 per day per individual, up to a maximum of 500. The scheme, which will cost 150,000 in total, will open at the end of July for a defined time period It will cover up to 300 plumbers and those with the adjacent skills for heat pump installation to complete relevant training. There are six retrofitting training centres across the country. Minister O Donovan told the Irish Mirror that the scheme is being put in place to ensure that people can upskill without losing out financially. My late father was a tiler by trade and I grew up in a house that always had a few apprentices around the table at dinnertime, he said. I know that often times a team can t afford to be down a member for any length of time. This Scheme compensates a plumber, or their employer, for the time they will spend on this training. In some cases that will only be five days in a learning environment. At the end of it, the plumber will be a fully certified, trained and qualified heat pump installer. Qualified installers are hard to come by at the moment, and in huge demand right around the country. . Ollie Hughes, a plumber in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was the first registered heat pump installer in Ireland when the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland SEAI rolled out grants for the devices in 2018. He stated that undertaking training will provide huge opportunities for future career progression. The heating industry experienced this back in the 1970s, 1980s,1990s when the installation of oil and gas began to replace solid fuel type heating systems, Mr Hughes said. The next transition is now to replace these oil  gas systems with Electric heat pumps. . Join the Irish Mirror s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Clickthis linkto receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you re curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.
Government launches scheme to pay plumbers up to 500 for heat pump installation training under National Retrofit Plan. Aim is to have 400,000 heat pumps installed by 2030. State will cover training costs with 100 per day incentive for plumbers. Minister emphasizes the need for upskilling and offers career progression opportunities.