Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would also like to be associated with the expression of condolences to Paul. This is a very good session. It is very timely and important. When one is knocking on doors and seeing the different types of poverty that exist, often energy poverty is the most visible. We would be talking to people at the door and one could nearly feel the cold. They bring us inside and they point out the damp, the cold and everything connected to it. It is very real and substantial, and we are all very conscious of it at the minute, with the extremely cold weather that is there and the difficult decisions that people on low incomes are unfortunately having to make.

I have many questions, so if the Chair wants to call a halt to my gallop or tell me to take a break at some stage, he can do so. First, I want to echo that point with regard to the delays. It is very frustrating, as Deputy Ó Cuív said, that when one brings people to finally applying - there is a small bit of work in applying - it is very frustrating when they are waiting months. On Monday, I had somebody call into the clinic who applied on 3 May. Their status is "still awaiting surveyor allocation". Actually, as it happens, that is within the frames that have been advertised. However, for that person, who maybe would not have necessarily anticipated waiting eight or nine months to be seen, I suppose the reality is they could be waiting a while longer. That is very frustrating, and I might pass that on to the SEAI to see if it can be looked at. Those delays are a big issue.

I might ask a question that is partially out of an interest. I know the SEAI's responsibility for local authority housing is not none but it is primarily the responsibility of the Department. I cannot remember the name of the scheme but I know there is a co-operative scheme on which the SEAI does some work with the local authorities. Primarily, the local authorities are responsible for local authority housing. However, I am interested in the cost. I want to ask about the external wrap of the house. What is the average that would be spent on two-bed or three-bed houses by the SEAI under its schemes at the minute?