Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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236. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress to date with the strategy to combat energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4511/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Energy poverty or fuel poverty is influenced by a person’s income, the energy efficiency of their home and the cost of the energy they use in their home. The Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty was published in 2016 and good progress has since been made including:

Funding for SEAI's free energy poverty retrofit schemes has increased dramatically over the period from €15 million in 2015 to €109 million for 2022;

Free upgrades were carried out in over 24,000 lower income homes under the main Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) energy poverty retrofit schemes;

The Housing for All Strategy has committed to introducing minimum Building Energy Ratings for rented properties from 2025; and

The allocations for retrofit of social housing have also increased significantly with an allocation of €85 million for 2022.

Research published in 2016 found that 28% of households in Ireland would need to spend more than 10% of their income on their energy needs. More recently, the ESRI carried out an analysis of the number of households at risk of experiencing energy poverty. This showed that the share of households needing to spend more than 10% of their income on their energy needs was 17.5% in 2020. The Survey on Income and Living Conditions indicates that the proportion of people who report that they are unable to afford to keep the home adequately warm, had fallen from 9% in 2015 to 3.4% in 2020.

A review of the implementation of the Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty will be completed in the coming months and will inform next steps in relation to the development of a new strategy. Measures to support those least able to afford to retrofit their homes have also be included in the new National Residential Retrofit Plan, published as part of the Climate Action Plan last November.

A range of schemes to assist low-income households with energy costs are also available from the Department of Social Protection. Budget 2022 has provided for a €5 increase to the Fuel Allowance to €33 per week, or €924 per year, as well as an extension of the eligibility criteria for the payment.

Protections are also in place for customers falling into arrears on their energy bills. Under the supplier led voluntary Energy Engage Code, suppliers will not disconnect a customer who is engaging with them. Suppliers must also provide every opportunity to customers to avoid disconnection and must identify customers at risk of disconnection and encourage them to engage as early as possible.

A scheme to credit all domestic electricity account holders with €100 in 2022 was approved by Government in December 2021. This payment is one of a suite of measures to mitigate the effects of the recent significant rises in electricity prices, which includes support through the social protection system. Approximately 2.1 million domestic electricity account holders will benefit from the scheme for a one-off, exceptional payment to their electricity accounts. The scheme will apply to all domestic accounts, including pay as you go customers.