Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to speak on this Private Members’ motion because there is so much worry and uncertainty about energy and keeping warm this winter. The issue is coming up at all the doors when I meet constituents in Prosperous, Naas and Kilcock. They are so worried about their energy bills and so scared they will not be able to turn on the heating for their children when they come home from school, they cannot even consider the Government’s retrofitting plan. People are particularly concerned about older parents who worry so much about paying bills and taking out loans. These are people who work hard and live week to week and month to month. They cannot even consider the Government’s retrofitting scheme which prioritises those who have the most over those who need the most. The Government’s stance on retrofitting projects, prioritising those who can pay the most over those who need the most, is the same as the unfair, unjust and unkind stance evident across its energy policy where the chosen ones, the haves, can depend upon warmth and fibre optics, while the have-nots can be consigned to the cold and candlelight. As my colleague, Deputy O’Rourke, said, its approach fails the equity test.

A constituent who contacted me the other day received an electricity bill of more than €400. He lives alone on a disability pension and has not turned on his heating. He has also decided not to turn on his lights and television and is only using the radio. He is trying to do everything by candlelight now, which is a worry as it is a fire hazard. He said the electricity supplier might as well cut him off immediately. Does anyone think this man is considering retrofitting his home? He and so many like him need what Sinn Féin is proposing in this motion for people on low and middle incomes. For example, we propose a €15 million retrofitting scheme for homes relying solely on solid fuel. This would be of particular benefit in rural areas and would also improve our poor air quality, which we suffer so much from, while tackling poverty at the same time.

We further propose a local energy action fund providing €8 million for sustainable energy communities to fund local community-led retrofits. We propose a 75% increase in funding for the solar PV budget, bringing that budget up to €24.5 million for 2023. These are no-brainers. Supporting the motion is also a no-brainer as it would make such a difference to my constituents in Kildare North and others across the State. We should use this energy crisis as an opportunity to lower our carbon emissions. The motion we have put before the House would do just that.

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