John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is the tenant who benefits through cheaper energy bills and having a warmer home. This is reflected across Europe. I know that the group will be meeting in the next couple of weeks. I do not have the figure for or a layout of the cost in the coming years, but let me emphasise that more than €135 million, a substantial sum, has been provided for expenditure in the period 2013 to 2019, inclusive. If one looks at the fiscal space - we are in a tight space - by any stretch of the imagination, it is a large amount in the context of the size of the economy. In the coming months all stakeholders, including the Departments of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, as well as interested groups will meet to discuss the issue which is being addressed under action 63 of the climate action plan which is due to go for public consultation in the coming months as part of the long-term renovation strategy. I know that the Senator has a great interest in this issue. I ask her to wait for the recommendations to be made public. People like her and other interested parties can be part of the consultation process. There is an obvious commitment by the Government to deal with climate change. One of the best ways to deal with it is by retrofitting public housing.