Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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756. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if a person on jobseeker's allowance who has one 17-year old daughter living with him or her is eligible to apply for the better energy warmer homes scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23479/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department. The scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures at no cost to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty, who meet the defined eligibility criteria. Typical measures available under the scheme include attic and cavity wall insulation, draught proofing, lagging jackets and low energy light bulbs.

This scheme is available to homeowners living in non-Local Authority homes, constructed before 2006 and tenants of approved housing associations. In addition, a householder needs be receipt of one of the following:

- Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme;

- Job Seekers Allowance for over six months and with children under 7 years of age;

- Family Income Supplement;

- One Parent Family Payment.

If the applicant referred to by the Deputy meets one of these criteria then they are eligible for the scheme and can make an application via SEAI.

Following a public consultation, these eligibility criteria were examined in the new National Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty published in February of this year. That strategy commits my Department to keep the eligibility criteria for energy poverty under review to ensure that they are aligned with the basic deprivation indicators used across Government. On foot of the publication of this strategy, the eligibility criteria were broadened to include tenants of voluntary housing associations and one parent families as these groups appear to be particularly vulnerable to suffering from deprivation.