Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timeframe for publication of the findings of the Fuel Poverty Action Research Project; the most recent figure for the number living in fuel poverty; the number of people who benefited from the warmer homes scheme; the budget available for that scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10569/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I am advised that the final report of the Fuel Poverty Action Research Project is scheduled for publication in mid 2008. There are currently no national statistics available on the number of people experiencing fuel poverty in Ireland. The EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions which is carried out by the Central Statistics Office each year, measures the number of households that have gone without heating at least once over the previous year due to lack of money. The most recent figures available from this survey indicate that in 2006 some 5.7% of households in Ireland went without heat at some stage during the year, a slight reduction on 2005.

Sustainable Energy Ireland's Warmer Homes Scheme was introduced in 2003. Up to the end of 2007, some 7,652 people on low incomes benefited from substantial energy efficiency improvements to their homes under the Warmer Homes Scheme. The number of beneficiaries has been rising steadily each year. SEI's Low Income Housing Programme was in operation for many years previous to the Warmer Homes Scheme and aided many vulnerable households. I have made available some €2.5m to SEI in 2008 to continue the very valuable work of the Warmer Homes Scheme. In the first two months of this year a further 600 families had the energy performance and comfort conditions of their homes permanently improved under the Scheme.