Independent TD for Laois-Offaly, Carol Nolan has called on the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan to “immediately update” the national strategy to Combat Energy Poverty 2016-2019.
Deputy Nolan raised the matter in a parliamentary question after Minister Ryan confirmed that a review of the strategy is expected to be completed “in the coming months”.
This is “not good enough”, according to Deputy Nolan, particularly because of the spiraling costs associated with home heating.
She added:
“The recent developments in Ukraine and the impact that these will have on European and Irish energy costs has created an added urgency around this issue.”
Within one year, between December 2020 and 2021, energy costs increased by 27% and are now standing at a price 34% higher than in December 2016, according to Deputy Nolan, who referred to data from Age Action Ireland.
She added that up to 28% of households may be in fuel poverty, including 165,000 households with older people.
“The government must come to its senses”, she stated, and at least suspend the proposed carbon tax increase on home heating oil which is due to come into effect in May.
Minister Ryan stated that a €125 payment will be paid to 390,000 recipients on the fuel allowance in early March. He further stated that energy or fuel poverty are influenced by a person’s income and the efficiency and cost of energy in their home.
The government also announced a package of supports, including a number of changes to the Warmer Homes Scheme to better target available supports to those most in need, according to Minister Ryan.
An emergency measure will also be introduced providing a €200 credit to all domestic electricity accounts, and increased grants for attic and cavity wall insulation covering 80% of the cost to homeowners.
Deputy Nolan stated that a revised national strategy “has rarely been more necessary”. She added:
“Government action is not keeping pace with the energy crisis hitting almost all sectors of Irish society.”
Deputy Nolan pointed to research conducted by Age Action Ireland in 2021, which showed that older people need to spend at least between €24.76 and €33.8/week on home energy costs.
Combat Energy Poverty strategy
Progress was made under the national strategy to Combat Energy Poverty 2016-2019, Minister Ryan said, including the increase in funding for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) free energy poverty retrofit scheme from €15 million in 2015 to over €118 million in 2022.
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien will further invest €85 million as part of the Social Housing Retrofit Programme this year, Minister Ryan said.
He further referred to an analysis by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which showed that the share of households needing to spend over 10% of their income on energy was 17.5% in 2020.
He added:
“The survey on income and living conditions indicates that the proportion of people who reported that they are unable to afford to keep their home adequately warm, had fallen from 9% in 2015 to 3.4% in 2020.”
The minister also stated that the Housing for All strategy committed the government to introduce additional rent controls will result in rental properties having a required minimum building energy rating.