Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland warmer homes scheme under which elderly persons were informed that work would be carried out on their houses, insulation and heating measures, radiators and so on but now they have been informed that while insulation work will be carried out, heating measures will not; the reason this is the case for persons that have waited for more than a year for this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12177/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the Better Energy programme on behalf of my Department. The fuel poverty strand of Better Energy aims to provide energy efficiency improvements to low-income homes unable to afford the cost of implementing such measures. An additional €10 million was provided for low-income housing retrofits in the recent Jobs Initiative. This will enable over 20,000 low-income homes to benefit from energy efficiency retrofit measures this year.

The key eligibility criteria for the scheme is that the householder is in receipt of a fuel allowance, invalidity or disability benefit with some additional flexibility allowed for exceptional hardship cases. The fuel allowance is a supplementary allowance available to persons already in receipt of benefits including disability and invalidity benefit. As the fuel allowance is means tested, it is the best available indicator of the lowest income and most vulnerable homes. In addition to utilising the fuel allowance criterion, the SEAI and the community-based organisations work in close partnership with local networks of poverty and community support organisations including public health nurses, MABS and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to identify particularly vulnerable homes.

There has been a significant uptake in applications and interest in the scheme over the last three years. This has resulted in very high volumes of applications which have, in certain instances, led to delays in having works completed. If the Deputy wishes to forward details of specific instances to my office I would be happy to have my officials pursue the matter. Alternatively, queries in relation to individual applications can be addressed to the SEAI hot line - 1800 250 204 where all queries from scheme applicants and public representatives are dealt with immediately.