Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when he will publish the findings of the fuel poverty action research project; the numbers living in fuel poverty; the number of people who benefited from the warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10505/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The Fuel Poverty Action Research Project was established by Combat Poverty and Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to inform the future directions of energy efficiency programmes for vulnerable customers. The project involved a rigorous assessment of the energy, environmental, thermal comfort and health benefits of the Warmer Homes Scheme. The report of the Fuel Poverty Research Project is due to be published at the end of this month following a presentation to the Interdepartmental / Agency Energy Affordable Group.

The Warmer Homes Scheme is administered by SEI. It provides structural energy efficiency improvements to private homes in, or at risk of, fuel poverty. It is delivered by community based organisations who work in partnership with their local network of poverty and community support organisations, including public health nurses, MABS and St Vincent De Paul to identify and address the energy needs of vulnerable homes.

To date energy efficiency improvements in over 22,500 homes have been made under the Warmer Homes Scheme. €20 million has been provided for the scheme in 2009 which includes €5 million being provided between ESB and Bord Gáis Éireann. This will enable structural improvements to be made to at least 15,000 homes this year. SEI, in consultation with ESB, BGÉ and other stakeholders, is also reviewing the overall operation of the scheme to ensure that maximum impact is achieved from the enhanced funding. The report of the Fuel Poverty Research Project will clearly inform the overall review.

The most recent research figures available on fuel poverty in Ireland are contained in a recent working paper by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). There are a variety of ways to measure fuel poverty including the proportion of household expenditure on fuel, the condition of the house and the subjective view of occupants about their energy needs.

The ESRI estimate that using the expenditure method, over 300,000 or 19.4% of Irish households may have experienced fuel poverty in 2008. Alternatively, using the subjective method, over 68,000 or 4.6% of households reported that they could not afford to heat their homes adequately.

There are many definitions and measurements of fuel poverty. The Government's own working definition is the inability to afford adequate warmth in a home or the inability to achieve adequate warmth because the home is not energy efficient. By assisting vulnerable homes to become energy efficient, the Warmer Homes Scheme is designed to tackle the root causes of energy affordability.