Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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591. To ask the Minister for Health if he has made representations to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of the health outcomes of persons living in housing with mould; and, if so, if he will report on those representations. [8060/23]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Various aspects of housing quality fall under the remit of a number of Government Departments, principally the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and the Department of the Environment Climate and Communications (DECC). In addition, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers a number of schemes to assist homeowners with retrofits that improve energy efficiency and ventilation to tackle dampness and mould issues.

The Department of Health and HSE have assisted on a number of occasions in this regard - in particular by providing significant input into the Warmth and Wellbeing pilot retrofit scheme, a major initiative under the Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty, led by DECC. This Department is also currently represented on the Energy Poverty Action Plan Steering Group, led by DECC.

The Warmth and Wellbeing scheme, delivered between 2016 and 2022 by DECC, the HSE and SEAI, under the aegis of Healthy Ireland, targeted deep energy efficiency interventions at people in energy poverty who were suffering from acute health conditions and living in poorly insulated homes (many of which would also have suffered from mould). The pilot scheme aimed to objectively measure the health and wellbeing impacts of improving the living conditions of vulnerable people living in energy poverty with chronic respiratory conditions. Under the scheme, over 1,300 homes received free upgrades, including attic and wall insulation, window and door replacement and heating system upgrades where needed.

A health impact evaluation of the scheme was conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in collaboration with the Health Service Executive. The final analysis is due to be published shortly; however initial reports have indicated that the upgrades are delivering benefits to the health and wellbeing of participants, including reports of needing fewer GP and hospital visits, fewer prescriptions for antibiotics as well as increased engagement with other support services in the community. Evidence, including findings from the Warmth and Wellbeing scheme, shows that retrofitting can combat the health-related consequences of living in a cold, damp home, which has been shown to be linked to excess winter mortality, to increased rates of respiratory diseases and to poorer states of mental health and wellbeing.

The findings of the health impact evaluation of the Warmth and Wellbeing scheme will inform Government’s approaches to retrofitting. In addition, the Government has committed under the Climate Action Plan to greatly expand schemes supporting the retrofitting of housing across the country, and this pilot scheme evaluation will assist Government in targeting those who are more vulnerable and for whom retrofits will have the most impact in terms of better health and lower healthcare costs. Upgrading the energy performance of energy poor homes is ultimately the most sustainable path to tackling energy poverty, improving health and wellbeing outcomes and reducing residential emissions.