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

Research conducted by Queen's University Belfast and Technological University Dublin, which was commissioned by the Irish Heart Foundation and the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, indicates that 1,000 lives could be saved on the island of Ireland each year if air pollution was reduced. A major source of air pollution comes from the burning of solid fuels in the home. Many people have no alternative but to use such fuels. They are not eligible for or cannot afford the retrofitting schemes that the Government provides. That is why Sinn Féin proposed a dedicated retrofitting scheme targeted directly at those who are dependent on solid fuel. The Government did not oppose a Dáil motion relating to that proposal last October. Will the Tánaiste please act on that proposal and introduce a dedicated retrofitting scheme for households that dependent on solid fuel?

See this speech in context