Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Carrying out a survey in respect of fuel poverty levels and how carbon tax increases impact on the most vulnerable should not be the Minister's responsibility but that of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. I am on the climate committee and fought hard to get such a study agreed on. We got it agreed but it never happened. The committee heard from witnesses from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, which had both carried out such studies. We did not look hard at the evidence that shows increasing carbon tax actually reduces emissions. There is much evidence to show that it does not.

Apart from that, because that is a kind of climate action issue, measuring fuel poverty by those in receipt of fuel allowance gets it completely wrong. There is a cohort of people who do not get fuel allowance but who pay an extraordinary amount of money on electricity, gas or coal in order to stay warm because their houses are in poor condition, they are sick or one of their family members is ill. If one looks at the way it is measured in other countries, all of these factors are taken into account. They just do not consider someone being in receipt of fuel allowance or the level of social protection payments that applies. I have met retired workers from RTÉ and the Oireachtas who have been crippled by the increase in carbon tax, despite the fact they have a job pension. They are cold but cannot afford to make the changes in their lives which this would require.

We need to look at a different measure. If the Minister was willing to take this on board, that would be a start. Another Department failed in this regard but this is also applicable to this Department. Like MABS and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a report would show this is a widespread and deep issue. Fuel poverty is flying under the radar and will increase because of the actions taken by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.