Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I am raising the matter of available housing grants from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and how they meet the Government's aspirations for more energy efficient homes that are less of an economic burden on home owners. This issue came into sharper focus after the spate of burst pipes suffered by many households over Christmas. Many people discovered the lead pipes in their old houses burst and may continue to do so if such cold snaps recur. Some support for individual cases like these must be introduced. Insurance companies will only deal with the damage caused, not with rectifying the cause of the problem, namely, the old pipes. While I accept there are many supports in place for overall energy efficiency, there needs to be an evaluation of these grants.

I recently had a particular case of a woman with serious financial difficulties and serious difficulties with her house who could not get any support from her local county council for building grants. She had the works done to the house, yet even with a structural engineer's report, she could not get the available grants. I contacted Sustainable Energy Ireland and the warmer homes scheme on this woman's behalf.

From anecdotal evidence, some feel that if it is known one is in receipt of a housing grant, the contractor will charge more. We must ensure the value of these housing grants is not undermined by contractors charging the equivalent of the grant and their fee, as happened in the past. Will the Department get back to me on that specific issue? Are statistics available from county councils and Sustainable Energy Ireland on the drawdown of existing grants? Many people believe that if they do not live in a council house, they are not entitled to housing supports and grants. Much work has been done on wood pellet heaters and other innovative ways for home heating. However, many homes still have draughty windows and doors. Many widows and widowers are often too young to avail of the grants but their homes are in great need of minor repairs. While we must ensure those in need receive these grants, we must also ensure they do not serve as a double payment to contractors. Resources are limited but having more fuel efficient houses will be ultimately more economic and a saving for everyone.