Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

It is hard to imagine a more impactful measure on the wellness of both people and the planet than insulating people's homes. I want to raise an incredible case in my constituency where a family is being threatened with prison for retrofitting and insulating their home. In 2018, Clive Ryan from Kilnamanagh received a Government grant from the SEAI to retrofit his home with external wall insulation. This is exactly the type of climate action that Government grants and Government policy are designed to incentivise. It is a clear win. It is a no-brainer for the householder who has reduced energy bills and for society as a whole because it benefits from lower carbon emissions and reduced air pollution. What happened next is that South Dublin County Council began serving planning notices on Mr. Ryan. He applied twice for planning retention and was denied it. He is now facing a €5,000 fine or a prison sentence if he does not remove it. Does the Taoiseach agree that external wall insulation should be exempt from planning permission?

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