Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many have spoken about the difficulties surrounding COP27 and about what the people have not signed up for. We want to make whatever moves we can away from fossil fuels. District heating can be one of those solutions. I once again bring up the issue of communal heating systems that are now being powered by gas. A feasibility study has already started around geothermal in respect of Carlinn Hall, Dundalk. None of this will work in this shift, however, unless we have a grant scheme in place to facilitate this communities, for example in the areas of geothermal or woodchip. Beyond that, we will need mitigations. I thought the temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, could have been a means by which we facilitated those residents who are under severe pressure. That is an opportunity that has been missed. We need a bespoke solution to get people through this winter. Thereafter, we can help them to switch to a better system and we can get that all-round improvement.

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