Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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60. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the policy in relation to the replacement of solid fuels as peat is being phased out. [13078/21]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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90. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he plans to address the concerns of households that rely on solid fuels for their heating while also recognising the need to improve air quality; if he has examined new schemes that can help such households transition to cleaner heating sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13264/21]

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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113. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when he expects to finalise and implement the solid fuel regulation following the public consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13277/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 60, 90 and 113 together.

Each year 1,300 people die prematurely in Ireland due to solid fuel burning. I am committed to addressing this critical public health and environmental challenge through a nationwide ban on smoky coal and enhanced regulation of other solid fuels.

We have taken the first step in this process by launching a public consultation, to ask for views on how we regulate all solid fuels that contribute to air pollution. There are no proposals to ban the use of peat, wood or briquettes - the objective is to reduce the level of emissions associated with burning these fuels through enhanced regulation and to protect human health.

In order to ensure that the system we put in place is as legally robust and as informed as possible, regulations will be introduced once the findings of the consultation have been fully considered and the required regulatory processes completed.

I am conscious that for some householders, burning solid fuel is the main or only way they have of heating their homes. The goal over the lifetime of this Government is to provide support to retrofit these homes and, in the interim, to ensure they can be heated in a way that improves public health. This is being supported by an allocation of €221 million for home and community retrofitting provided for in Budget 2021. This 82% increase on the 2020 budget is being funded through carbon tax revenue and includes €109 million in additional supports for low income homes.