Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government has an ambitious retrofitting plan but I am concerned that it is a case of building castles in the sky. I could list many cases of families, renters and homeowners, who are pensioners in some cases, who live in cold homes that are D-rated or worse. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland was with them a decade ago so they will not see it again, such are the rules. There is no funding for windows or doors. These people are not in a position to avail of other subsidies because they do not have disposable income but they are promised that they might be one of 500,000 deep retrofits by 2030. I welcome the ambition but I firmly believe that we need a plan in place to support those people who are most in need between now and 2030. My concern is that the ambition is way out in the future and in the interim people will live in homes that are D-rated and worse, with no real proposition of improving windows, doors or attic insulation. It is a matter of prioritisation for those most in need.

See this speech in context