Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are looking at definitions. The ESRI has been commissioned and will complete a body of research, although it will be some time before that is completed. An evidence-based approach will be key to its analysis and coming up with a definition.

For the State, the most effective measure in terms of definitions or impacts has been on the awarding of fuel allowances for some 400,000 homes. As I said, that is designed to try to capture a variety of different circumstances. There are always going to be people on the margin. There will be some people who are ineligible for that, who are in effective fuel poverty. It obviously depends on the nature of the building they are in, as well as their income and various other factors. The allowances and the definition for those who may apply for the warmer homes scheme are examples of how we are applying the definitions at present. There is an issue and it is important that in any interventions we target those most at risk. That relates to the building fabric in particular. We will await the research conclusions from the ESRI to further decide on the definition issue.

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