Irish Rural Link (IRL) said it is concerned about the impact the Climate Action Plan will have on rural communities and the “continuous fear” people are experiencing over how they will afford to make changes.
Rural communities are worried that they will be “disadvantaged”.
The Climate Action Plan was published this week, outlining how Ireland will reduce its overall national emissions by 51% by 2030.
IRL said that reassurances are needed and must be delivered on transport needs, home heating needs and employment.
From previous work carried out, IRL is aware that there are “approximately 190,000 homes in rural and remote areas wholly dependent on solid fuel to heat their homes”.
“The national retrofit plan needs to be sufficiently funded and more detail is needed on the income thresholds for 100% grants, such as warmer home, as well as proportion available on other retrofitting grants,” IRL said.
“For households earning minimum wage or indeed middle-income earners, they are currently not eligible for 100% grants and certainly do not have the financial means to retrofit their homes even with grants.
“More details are needed on the loan scheme included in this plan as these households will need sufficient financial support to make the changes.”
Climate Action Plan must have ‘adequate budget’
IRL also said that the move to an electric car for many households in rural areas “is also not affordable or viable”.
“While we welcomed the launch of the consultation on public transport in rural areas last week, increasing services by 25% will not be enough to reduce dependency on a car or for those who have no access to a car,” it said.
For those who have lost jobs “and will continue to lose jobs” as a result of the closure of power stations and peat harvesting, there needs to be “immediate training and upskilling”, IRL added.
“This plan must have the adequate budget behind it to support those people who, at present, are unable to make the necessary changes and continue to be negatively impacted by measures to reach carbon emission targets.”