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

I move:

"That Dáil Éireann:

notes that: — the refusal of the Government to reduce and cap electricity prices leaves households facing into an extremely worrying and uncertain winter, and this is particularly the case for those who simply cannot afford to retrofit their energy inefficient homes;

— emissions from the residential sector amounted to 11.4 per cent of the State's total greenhouse gas emissions last year;

— poorly insulated homes require greater amounts of energy to heat, increasing carbon emissions and resulting in higher energy bills for households;

— energy poverty in the State is currently at its highest recorded rate, and the last Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty lapsed in 2019;

— there are currently over 9,000 homes awaiting works under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme (BEWHS), with a wait time of 27 months;

— just 1,584 local authority homes were retrofitted in 2021;

— installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on homes can increase our renewable energy generation and help decrease electricity bills for households; and

— this is especially relevant in the context on the ongoing energy crisis and the level of energy poverty that households are currently experiencing, which is expected to increase over the coming months; recognises that: — many low- and middle-income households are excluded from accessing retrofitting under the Government's schemes, as they do not qualify for the BEWHS and do not have the disposable income required to afford a deep retrofit under the One Stop Shop service;

— the Government's national retrofit scheme prioritises those with means over those most in need;

— State funding should be proportionately allocated on the basis of need, so those least able to afford home energy upgrades and most at risk of energy poverty are given the greatest levels of support;

— a clustered, area-based approach to retrofitting can help speed up delivery and reduce overall costs;

— Ireland needs a progressive and effective retrofit plan, which will help meet our emissions reduction targets, while delivering wider social and economic benefits for workers and families; and

— the existing grant support for solar PV is inadequate and leaves this microgeneration option out of the reach of low- and middle-income households; and calls on the Government to: — reform and reorientate their national retrofit plan by redirecting the focus, funding and resources towards those in greatest need of retrofits;

— replace the BEWHS with a new scheme, including an area-based component for low- and middle-income households, in order to improve delivery times, thus, achieve cost efficiencies and get more retrofits to those in need;

— continue free home energy upgrades for currently eligible social welfare recipients and older people and provide tiered grants based on household income, in order to open up retrofits to more people in need of energy efficiency upgrades while limiting support to the highest income households;

— establish a dedicated retrofit scheme for low- and middle-income households who rely on burning solid fuels for heat;

— increase the budget for solar PV grants and provide higher grants for those on lower- and middle-incomes;

— commit capital investment to facilitate the installation of solar PV infrastructure on school and community buildings;

— increase funding for the retrofitting of local authority homes; and

— immediately publish an updated energy poverty strategy."

I am sharing time with Deputies Tully, Martin Kenny, Ó Murchú, Gould, Clarke and Ellis.

The Government's retrofitting plan was announced to great fanfare in February but it was clear from the start that it was deeply unfair. This should come as no surprise given who designed it. This winter Deputies can access retrofitting quicker than two pensioners burning coal to heat one room. That is deeply unfair. It is not right. The Government's plan needs to be overhauled. We need a plan at a time of crisis that is targeted, based on need not ability to pay, flexible and responsive and one that will be rolled out rapidly and efficiently.

The Government has stated that 58% of its retrofitting budget is going to energy poverty schemes but the truth is queues are getting longer and budgets are not being spent. In fact, the Government is siphoning off money to pay for diesel back-up generators. The Government's retrofitting plan is deeply inequitable. It fails the equity test and the just transition test.

I will make a number of points of specific criticism. People who need retrofits - those living in the coldest and poorest homes - cannot access them. For people who are eligible for schemes, more than 9,000 homes are on waiting lists for works under the better energy warmer homes scheme, with a wait time of 27 months, which is getting longer. Otherwise, strict criteria mean that people are not eligible for schemes and they do not have the upfront money. They cannot put their hands on the money. People who have less need - those living in warmer homes - can access retrofits because they have access to funds. There is wait of greater than two years or a closed door, on the one hand, while, on the other, there is access based on ability to pay. This approach certainly fails the equity test.

There is a shortage of workers and those workers are, as a result, being inefficiently deployed to demand-led, random houses here and there. Contractors say they have never been more burdened with paperwork and bureaucracy. People who want to access individual grants are being denied because of upfront costs. The bureaucracy involved means budgets will be unspent. As I mentioned, €40 million has already been siphoned off this year's retrofitting budget.

In solar photovoltaic, PV, people face barrier after barrier. There is significant potential here. On solid fuel, people have been browbeaten over turf but no alternatives have been provided.

Sinn Féin’s plan would address all of these issues and it would do it without increasing carbon taxes. We would invest €503 million in retrofits in 2023. That is €153 million more than the Government's 2022 allocation – the outturn will be far less - and far ahead of its 2023 capital allocation. That money would be spent in a far fairer and more efficient way.

Sinn Féin would take a targeted, plan-led and area-based approach based on need rather than ability to pay. It would cluster houses together with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, as the lead agency working hand in hand with local authorities and other housing agencies and with one-stop shop contractors acting as delivery vehicles, commissioned by local authorities, the SEAI and private individuals, driving competition within the one-stop shop system and reducing costs. As we grow the workforce through expanded dedicated training in education and training boards, ETB, programmes, this area-based, plan-led approach would use existing resources efficiently and effectively. We would prioritise existing applicants on the better energy warmer homes scheme but we would replace that programme, broaden eligibility criteria for those on higher incomes and dedicate an additional €73 million to that. Works would be subsidised on a tiered basis based on income. We would also provide a 50% increase in funding for local authority housing, which would protect those most at risk of poverty and fuel poverty and the impact of the rising cost of energy.

Acting on the call of the Climate Change Advisory Council and the hundreds of thousands of people who are excluded from individual grants because they do not have the upfront costs, we would ensure that applications for individual grants, for example, for attic and cavity wall insulation, are assessed quickly and that upfront grant payments are made. We are in a time of crisis. The money needs to get out as quickly as possible and contractors need to be put to work.

We also have proposals for a dedicated scheme for those on solid fuel and additional spending on solar PV. We have a clear plan. The Minister needs to change tack and support the Sinn Féin motion.

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