Mr. Jerry Mac Evilly:

I understand where Deputy Ó Cuív is coming from, given the unavailability of labour and installers. There are those on schemes while there are those who are willing to pay and, if they have the means, want their measures to be delivered as soon as possible. The problem we are facing is that, generally speaking, all of the onus rests on the individual and the person with greater means is expecting the delivery of these measures, be they solar panels, heat pumps or something else. There is increasing energy poverty, those in social housing are in greatest need and, as we mentioned, those at risk of energy poverty may also face other hardships, for example, disabilities, yet there is no apparatus or system to ensure the roll-out for them as soon as possible.

Part of the reason Friends of the Earth is prioritising this is because, notwithstanding the fact that, as the Deputy rightly pointed out, the expense of a full retrofit with a heat pump is substantial, this is where everything is going over the next decade. In ten years’ time, solar panels and heat pumps will be extremely common. The price is only going one way. However, there is a major risk that those in energy poverty or at risk of it will be locked out of this transition.