Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I thank the witnesses for the presentations. I missed the very beginning of the meeting because I was out on the picket lines. As a starting point, Dr. Ciaran Byrne mentioned there is a single homogenous definition of communities. I want to tease out what that might be. For example, back in 2018, I met a sixth-year leaving certificate class from a boys school in Sutton who came regularly to the Dáil, looking for our support because they had worked out a plan. It was very interesting to see young men working out the science and to see the preciseness of what they were doing in order to solar power the entire school and all its needs, and to have solar panels located on the roof. They were looking everywhere for support but they were getting none, back in the day. If Dr. Byrne is familiar with the project, he might respond.

What struck me was that they were not getting a good response from any Department or, at the time, the SEAI. If I remember it correctly, the total amount it would have cost was some €20,000 and they were willing to do fundraising to try to raise about half of it but they were not getting support. Had that been supported and had it worked, there would have been a school in a community that has set an example that could be rolled out elsewhere and that nearly every school could take on board, not just as part of an education of the leaving certificate science students, but also as part of showing what can be done to power through renewable energy an aspect of the community. That is why am asking about this homogenous definition of community.

The other point I would like to make about definitions of communities is this. I live in Dublin South-Central, one of the poorest areas. I will not say it is disadvantaged but it has a high level of low-income earners throughout the inner city and in places like Ballyfermot and Crumlin. If they are not highly organised into community groups, how do they get to access this kind of project that the witnesses are talking about? In other words, do the SEAI and other bodies see it as part of their job to have an outreach programme to make sure all communities are engaged and to ensure nobody is left behind? One of the witnesses mentioned earlier that the focus is on delivering deeper retrofits and it is Government policy and SEAI policy, and it is very expensive and all the rest of it.

Surely, though, we should be starting with the basics and ensuring that everyone has some way of accessing renewables. Dare I mention, as Deputy Bruton did, the matter of retrofitting? The Chairman does not want us to dwell on it, but I have a question. I have encountered many people who got support 15 or 20 years ago to have their attics lagged. That lagging is no longer sufficient, perhaps because the material used was not good enough, and they are now living in cold homes. Every time I ask the SEAI, I am told that these people had work done and are not getting any further support. Has this situation changed? I would like a definite answer because I am getting mixed messages from the SEAI.

My final question relates to charging points in apartment blocks.