Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The most important objective pertaining to older people and fuel property is to provide a much better standard of insulation for homes, both to reduce and prevent heat loss and to improve the comfort and standard of housing. As we know, many older people live in older properties. The inter-departmental-agency group has been asked to draw up an energy-affordability strategy. This strategy will set out existing and future approaches to addressing energy affordability and will have regard to both the impact of the carbon tax on low-income households and a range of supports in making its recommendations.

The group has been asked to make recommendations as to the precise package of measures, including the area of income support, that should be put in place to assist those at risk of fuel poverty. These recommendations will be considered as part of the overall strategy to deal with energy affordability, which will include supports for low-income households. As the Deputy knows, the fuel allowance is not the sole income support mechanism through which assistance is provided to people with special heating needs.

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