Mr. Brian O'Mahony:

On targeting energy poverty, I want to mention that many of our deep schemes are orientated to try to address that. For the one-stop shop service, more than half of the homes upgraded are approved housing body homes. For the community energy grant scheme, more than one third of the homes are approved housing body homes. Both of those schemes target bringing homes to a B2 standard or installing heat pumps, which are deeper interventions. We try to set up those schemes to target and address those issues. We take account of what the committee has said.

There was mention of older people who are living alone in houses, etc. We work relatively closely with the Department of housing and some of the local authorities. The Department has a project with Ava Housing that looked to upgrade 20 homes in 2023, to change the rooms so the older person could live downstairs and a rental unit could be put upstairs to address some of the points we may need. The Department may be able to advise the committee further in that regard.

Passporting has been mentioned. We are trying to work our programmes with other programmes that the State and the Government are offering, such as the healthy age friendly homes initiative. Approximately €70 million is going into helping people to adapt their homes for disabilities. We are trying to connect our schemes to that by getting energy audits done or making similar efforts with the local authorities and their retrofitting schemes. Local authorities are spending nearly €90 million on social housing this year. We are trying to connect and I mentioned a couple of projects in that regard. One of the key drivers to doing that is our community energy grant scheme. I must mention that because many times we talk about the one-stop shop service or individual energy. Community is an important part to mention. I just wanted to say that.

Our "keeping warm and well" leaflet is being updated at the moment. We will definitely take up the Cathaoirleach on his offer and circulate it to the committee.