Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)

I am rising to speak about an issue that is pressing but that also has a moral dimension, namely the need for a national comprehensive strategy for the effective utilisation of surplus renewable energy in a manner that prioritises individuals and households experiencing energy poverty. We are seeing in various news reports that families are starting to choose between heating their home and eating. That should not be a reality in modern Ireland in 2025. According to the most recent ESRI report, 550,000 households in the Republic of Ireland had that choice in the last year. Fuel poverty is not just about discomfort; it carries profound health consequences as well. Cold homes contribute to respiratory illness and poor mental health, and exacerbate the existing vulnerabilities of older people and younger children, and those living with illness.

It is not an abstract policy that I am talking about. I have personally witnessed the pain of fuel poverty through the homeless organisation I am connected with, which I founded in 2006. Working in that sector, I have met families trying to keep their children warm in overcrowded accommodation or accommodation that is not suitable. I have seen individuals doing all they can to rebuild their lives from marginalisation but unable to afford basic heat. The stress, shame and all of that would erode dignity. The suffering is made more unacceptable when we consider that Ireland has wasted more than €2.1 billion worth of renewable energy over the past eight years. That is 7,022 GWh of clean wind energy, enough to power billions of hot water tanks which are currently left unused. While families shiver in cold homes, we are turning off clean energy at source. That is not just inefficiency; it is questionable and possibly indefensible.

A national strategy is urgently needed, one that champions surplus renewable energy being directly focused towards those experiencing fuel poverty. I am asking the Minister to commit to publishing a strategy with measurable targets for how surplus energy can be deployed to support the vulnerable households I mentioned. From my own experience, it is not abstract or wishful thinking innovation or distant climate goals. It is about justice and compassion and makes total common sense. When we waste energy, we lose more than just efficiency. We lose the opportunity to help the people I have mentioned. Such a strategy would incorporate social equality such that everybody would be treated equally on all energy planning nationally. Climate action must be for everyone, not just those who can afford it. The programme for Government promised to explore these solutions but now it is time to act, not with another report but with real policy change. Let us ensure that no family is left in the cold. As an approved housing body in Greystones, Tiglin has accommodation for individuals. We work with EnergyCloud and have set about reusing surplus energy. It has worked amazingly. If that could be put into a national plan, it would be amazing.