Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before we finish, I have a couple of very brief questions for the Irish Cancer Society. They may be more relevant to Dr. Denieffe than to the society itself. In the work she has done, has she looked at the impact of rental homes as opposed to owner-occupied homes? Was that differential looked at? It is clear from all of the evidence we have got that there is a particular problem as regards the rental sector. On the analysis and study Dr. Denieffe has done, we all know that people who are ill feel the cold more. That is a fact of life. The warmer homes scheme has acknowledged that through the eligibility of domiciliary care allowance recipients. It is the only non-means tested scheme to be part of the warmer homes scheme for that very reason. There is already an acknowledgement there in that regard. However, we also know that living in a cold home has an impact on people's health and health outcomes. Based on Dr. Denieffe's study, have there been delayed diagnoses in households that are in fuel poverty, perhaps because they cannot afford to go to a GP to get a diagnosis in the first place? Do we have any indication of this issue having an impact on the final outcome of such diagnoses as regards terminal illness? Anecdotally, that would seem to be the case. Has the research reflected that?

I have some very brief questions for our other witnesses. I am sorry, I will need one second. My head is a fright. The questions are for Friends of the Earth and Ms O'Connor. A clear set of recommendations was laid out in their presentation. We really welcome that. One of the things that is clear from today's evidence is that all of the responsibility lies with the individual. There have only been two schemes where that was not the case. One was the just transition scheme in the midland counties, where private housing was targeted as well as local authority housing. The other was the warmth and well-being scheme. In the main, it was the public health nurses going into houses who identified the recipients. The scheme was able to bridge that gap. I hope the Minister will publish the results of the scheme next month, which we would all welcome. Is there an opportunity to take a project like the warmth and well-being scheme or the retrofit scheme in the midlands from pilot scale and to ramp it up? Perhaps the Irish Cancer Society could answer first, followed by Friends of the Earth.