Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In terms of energy efficiency, an issue is arising in my constituency with the retrofitting of local authority and private houses. Cork City Council has approximately 11,000 social housing units. Those units where my father lives - Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny - were retrofitted two years ago. The units at Allen Square and Wolfe Tone Street in my constituency were retrofitted over the past four years. It has been a tremendous success. The people living in those units have told me that their energy bills have reduced by 50%. At Allen Square, they have solar panels on their roofs, so they have hot water whenever they need it. At Mary Aikenhead Place, though, which is the terrace just beyond it, there are similar council properties built at a similar time and they have not been retrofitted because there is no money to do so. Residents there are paying double for electricity, their houses are cold and damp and they do not have hot water.

Will there be a set standard for the retrofitting of local authority housing and will that transfer over to private homes? I have been contacted by a retired couple living in Fairhill who applied for a grant to retrofit their privately owned house. They could not get the retrofit done because there was a shortfall of €8,000, but the person on the other side of the road - both are corner terraced houses that were originally local authority housing before being purchased by the tenants - could afford the €8,000 to retrofit and insulate. This shows the inadequacies. We have people who want to do the right thing - retrofit, ensure energy efficiency and reduce their energy usage and bills - but the gap for many is unaffordable.

Will all local authorities be expected to carry out retrofitting to a set standard?