Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are putting forward this motion at a time when energy poverty is at its highest-ever recorded rate. We are also in the midst of the biggest energy crisis we have faced in a generation with home energy and fuel costs going through the roof as we head into winter. The Government's totally inadequate retrofitting schemes are compounding the energy crisis. More than 9,000 households are waiting on works under the better energy warmer homes schemes, with a wait of well over two years. Just over 1,500 council houses were retrofitted last year.

The one-stop shop service gives the same grant funding to those who earn the minimum wage as it does to millionaires. It is galling that as low- and middle-income households face into frightening energy bill increases, high earners who can afford to install solar panels and are therefore eligible for grant aid will not be affected. Indeed, they might make some money by selling it back to the grid. As usual, it is the ordinary working people who are completely excluded.

Sinn Féin's plan would introduce a new retrofit scheme for low- and middle-income households. Our system would be tiered to ensure that different levels of household income receive a proportionate grant from 100% down to 65%. We would also increase funding for local authority retrofits by 50%. We would bring in a solid fuel retrofitting scheme for those who rely on burning wood, turf or coal to heat their homes. We would also help these households to insulate their homes and install heat pumps, with the priority being to change the fuel source. Our approach can be compared with the Government's attempts to ban turf and slap carbon taxes on people without giving them any alternative or choice. We would introduce area-based components to our scheme to see houses in close proximity retrofitted at the same time to reduce costs and building time. The way the scheme is managed at present is impractical and does not make the best use of resources. The Government's scheme prioritises those who have the most over those who have the greatest need. It excludes most middle-income households - those who do not qualify for free upgrades but do not have tens of thousands of euros to spare to access the one-stop shop scheme. Our scheme will address these issues. It will help households to become more energy efficient, saving them money in the long term. It will help us to reduce our emission targets and, most importantly, it is fair and equitable.

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