Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

It is right that the warmer homes scheme targets these people. Also, this scheme has been increased ten-fold since the coming into Office of the Green Party. I have outlined how further funding can be provided and, a more effective way of delivering it by using the ESB, Bord Gáis and other energy companies to continue that work. Keeping heat in is the best way to tackle fuel poverty. This is the most useful thing we can do to ensure people's homes are warmer. I am committed to ramping up this scheme through the provision of further funding. Deputy McManus is correct that we must target this area.

We must address this issue in the context not only of people in receipt of the fuel allowance but for those involved in other social welfare schemes. We must recognise the energy performance of buildings as being the key metric and must use our regulatory and social welfare provisions to make improvements in this area and to ensure private landlords upgrade their houses so that those in rented accommodation who are in fuel poverty are least affected.

See this speech in context