Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I thank the Minister for the reply, although I am disappointed to say it was very similar to one I received to a previous parliamentary question. Will he confirm that essentially what he said was that he does not know how many people live in fuel poverty and that the research report and his strategy have not been published? He has nothing new to tell us even though the situation in terms of overall poverty is very serious. Despite the fact that there has been enormous economic growth in recent years, we have one of the highest excess mortality rates in Europe.

The Minister has no clear strategy in place to which we can refer and support, as we would like to do, to deal with fuel poverty once and for all, especially at a time when so many people who are out of work have skills in the construction trade. It is important that he gives us some idea as to his approach. He must be aware that the warmer home scheme does not relate to social housing which is the largest area where people are living in fuel poverty.

We now have the added experience of flooding. Inevitably, people's whose property has been flooded will have much greater energy bills as a result of dealing with the effects of flooding. What strategy will be in place for them?

Will the Minister clarify that Government policy and not Green Party policy in regard to carbon tax is to ring fence the money accruing in order to provide for greater energy efficiency?

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