Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Naughten is Chair of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands. Excellent work is being done by that committee in the area of energy poverty. I have spoken strongly about the fact that we have responded in the short term and cash was the way to do that in the short term. We have long-term plans for the retrofitting of housing stock, which is absolutely where we should be headed in the longer term, but we need to do something in the medium term to reach those people the energy transition will otherwise leave behind.

Deputy Naughten outlined a number of ideas. I absolutely believe that smart meters should be part of what we are doing. There is a role for the regulator in helping people interpret the relevant data, particularly those who are at risk of fuel poverty. EnergyCloud can be part of the solution. I would love to see solar panels installed on every social home across Ireland - if that is possible - in order that people can feel the good of that energy transition in the medium term and are not just waiting for the long term.

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