Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1354. To ask the Minister for Health his views in relation to the health impact arising from fuel poverty here; his further views on the need for greater investment to prevent fuel poverty and the corresponding health consequences for persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22308/20]

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty outlines that a household is considered energy poor if it spends more than 10% of their disposable income on energy costs. This can be caused by inadequate income, unsustainable energy costs and poor energy efficiency of housing.

Fuel poverty impacts on both physical and mental health across the life course. Studies show that exposure to cold resulting from fuel poverty can result in difficulties in weight gain and respiratory illness amongst children. There is also an increased risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness amongst adults and, in particular, older persons. There is a direct link with fuel poverty and increased uptake of primary and acute health services and excess winter mortality amongst older cohorts following cold weather. The mental health impacts of fuel poverty are significant across all age cohorts.

The Department of Health together with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the HSE and SEAI ran the Warmth and Wellbeing pilot scheme in CHO7 from 2016 until 2019. The scheme provided home energy retrofits for 1,350 homes with the aim of improving the living conditions of vulnerable children and older people, experiencing fuel poverty and living with chronic respiratory conditions. An independent research study into the impacts of the scheme on improved health and wellbeing and reduced health service use in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is underway.

The Programme for Government has committed to investing €5bil over the next 10 years raised from the Carbon Tax to a National Retrofitting Programme. This programme will target the elderly and those at greater risk of respiratory illness and will thereby potentially reduce the incidence and consequent health impacts of fuel poverty on the most vulnerable. My Department will continue to work in partnership with officials from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to assist in the identification of medically vulnerable persons who will benefit most from this programme.