Ms Susanne Rogers:

With regard to data and looking at the impact of retrofitting, Dr. Shane Colclough of UCD has done research on a small housing estate in Waterford. He looked at a group of houses retrofitted by the local authority and the impact this had on the households. It is not only about energy poverty. He noted that bills were lowered and people had warmer homes but there was also a massive impact on mental and physical health and on general household wellbeing. This is wider than poverty when we look at the amount we have to spend to keep our homes warm. With regard to heat pumps, he noted that it is about getting the settings right. We are concerned that households should not need a degree in engineering to get the settings right. It is an acknowledgement that heat pumps are the way to go but they need to be fitted correctly. The benefits definitely outweigh the financial input and this needs to be taken into account.