Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is part of a massive investment in the area. This is a project of a scale that is probably one of the biggest investment projects in the history of the State, and for the private sector as well. On the backlog, the Deputy is right there has been a severe backlog with the likes of the warmer homes scheme. That is one of the reasons that in the budget, as well as increasing the actual quantum we are providing, we got agreement for an additional 57 staff within the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and 50 staff within my Department to ensure we are equipped to deliver this scale of ambition. Included in that will be a full suite of measures to implement the objectives on the eradication of fuel poverty. The best way of eradicating fuel poverty in the long run is for us to meet our objective of going to every single house and removing the need to burn fossil fuels and the bills that come with that. Improved public health will come with better-insulated, warmer buildings so a large number of the additional 107 staff joining the existing Department and SEAI complement will be going into this very area and aiming to tackle fuel poverty.

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