Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the officials for their presentation. As a society, we must be very careful about this transition and make sure it is fair and manageable for people who are already finding it difficult to exist financially.

I refer in particular to situations where people spend a large proportion of their incomes on heat and light and, especially in Ireland, an even larger proportion on rent and mortgages. This crisis is coming straight at us and it is urgent given the financial impact that it will have on people. It will be a double whammy of higher bills combined with possible electricity outages. Do the witnesses believe that the outline in this regard in respect of support is in any way timely or adequate? Is it a true recognition of the urgency that we are facing in respect of this issue? It seems to be like offering someone who is drowning a voucher for swimming lessons instead of throwing them a lifebuoy.

Regarding what Mr. Maughan said when he was talking to Senator Boylan, the social climate fund is calculated at 1% based on the share of the population. This allocation is not, therefore, linked to economic and social needs. In situations where people may already be paying a high proportion of their incomes towards the costs of accommodation, is this type of allocation leaving people in precarious living situations in respect of essential services such as light and heat? That is before we even consider the situation with transport needs. It was mentioned that it was early days in this context, but I regard this as more like the end days. People have to live with this detail and plan their day-to-day lives. The abrupt nature of climate change, which was made clear to everyone during this summer and again in recent reports, requires an equally abrupt reaction. Is the current approach fit for purpose?