Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to develop a national fuel poverty strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43806/10]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the numbers of persons living in fuel poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45006/10]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timeframe for the energy affordability strategy; if it will require legislation; the way he intends to address the urgent problem of fuel poverty here; the number of homes that were part of the warmer homes scheme for 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44984/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 47 and 54 together.

The Government is committed to mitigating the underlying causes of energy poverty in vulnerable households through a combination of institutional supports, investment in improving the energy efficiency of housing stock and the wide availability of advice on energy efficiency. I am working closely with the Ministers for Social Protection and Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to deliver a fully cohesive Government response to the challenges of addressing energy affordability in Ireland. I expect the Strategy to be submitted to me shortly, with a view to bringing it to Government in the coming weeks.

The affordable energy strategy will be the framework for building upon the many measures already in place to protect households at risk from the effects of energy poverty. These measures include social welfare supports such as the Fuel Allowance and the Household Benefits package, as well as thermal efficiency-based measures such as the Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS), which provide significant energy efficiency improvements in low-income homes. The number of homes that were upgraded under the WHS in 2008 were 5,343, 16,240 in 2009 and 20,711 to date in 2010.

There are three methods of calculating the extent of fuel poverty: the expenditure method or share of income spent on household fuels; subjective measures on the part of occupants; and objective measurement of residence condition and comfort levels in relation to needs. Using the expenditure method, the ESRI estimates that 301,368 or 19.4% of Irish households may have experienced fuel poverty in 2008. Alternatively, using the subjective method 54,372 or 3.7% of households reported that they could not afford to heat their homes adequately in 2008. Updated numbers will be published in the forthcoming Affordable Energy Strategy.

It is not envisaged that additional legislation will be required at this stage. The necessity for legislation to underpin aspects of the strategy in the future will be kept under review.