Mr. Jerry Mac Evilly:

We would definitely agree with that recommendation on energy advisers. We would also agree with the recommendation that people, whether it is healthcare professionals, social care workers or other individuals within the community, not only recognise energy deprivation or energy poverty, but have access to the most important information on relevant schemes, both in relation to energy suppliers and SEAI grants.

Deputy Ó Cathasaigh has hit the nail on the head that when you stand back from all of this, the reason we are talking about individuals within the community with the relevant expertise is that at the moment all the responsibility rests on the individual and that is common to all of us, but we are particularly interested in those who are most at risk and those who are on lower incomes. We have a particular issue in Friends of the Earth with the roll-out of relevant energy efficiency measures. In most cases the responsibility rests on the individual to access them even before you get to digital literacy and the ability to understand the information. That is why we have recommended - and my colleague, Ms Clare O'Connor mentioned this already - leaving to one side updating, revising and expanding relevant schemes, which we can go into. There is a real need to review the mandates and functions of relevant State bodies and that includes the CRU but it also the SEAI and local authorities.

I appreciate that when we say review the mandates and functions, we may ask what the impact on expenditure will be. Are we simply talking about increased funding? The answer is "No" and that is why I also mentioned - and we are very happy to be speaking alongside the Irish Cancer Society today - the need for the likes of the SEAI and its schemes to work with anti-poverty organisations, whether in form of a working group or an advisory group, because, to reiterate, the real concern for Friends of the Earth is that we are particularly focused on the need to reduce emissions and decarbonise homes but that fundamentally lower income households will be left out of these transitions if it is left to the individual and to those who have the means over the coming years to install the likes of heat pumps and solar panels.