Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.

On 13 December 2022 Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan. The Plan is available at www.gov.ie and sets out a range of measures to ensure that those least able to afford increased energy costs are supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes. The implementation of the Action Plan is being monitored by a cross-departmental Steering Group, chaired by my Department.

The Energy Poverty Steering Group was established in August 2022, has met 7 times and is scheduled to meet next in March 2024.

The Energy Poverty Steering group is attended by representatives from The Department of Health, The Department of Social Protection, The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and of course my own Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Agencies that attend the Energy Poverty Steering Group include the Heath Service Executive, The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and the Commission for the regulation of Utilities.

As part of the work of the Steering Group, the inaugural Energy Poverty Stakeholder Forum was held on 7 July 2023. The Forum sought to improve and accelerate the implementation of the plan, by fostering dialogue and cooperation among NGOs, industry representatives, and public bodies. It provided a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, assess progress on objectives from across the action plan, and share new ideas to combat energy poverty.

A report setting out the recommendations and outcomes of the Energy Poverty Stakeholder Forum is available on gov.ie.

The Action Plan also pledges support for ESRI research to develop metrics to measure energy poverty and track changes in its severity and scope over time. This three-year research programme will assist Government to ensure future actions protect those most at risk.

The Steering Group receives regular updates in relation to the SEAI retrofitting supports for households at risk of energy poverty, as well as on the Local Authority retrofit programme.

In 2023 the Warmer Homes scheme provided free upgrades to approximately 5,900 households at risk of energy poverty. Waiting times improved from an average of 26 months in 2022 to an average of 20 months in 2023. Over 700 Approved Housing Body and low-income houses were upgraded under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme and the Community Energy Grant Scheme.

Budget 2024 has again allocated a record level of funding for retrofitting schemes. €300 million WAS allocated across the Warmer Homes Schemes and Local Authority Retrofit Scheme.

While the Steering group has not carried out any evaluations of these schemes, in 2023 the C&AG carried out an examination to assess the systems, procedures and practices in place to monitor the performance of the Warmer Homes Scheme. The Report made a total of three recommendations, two of which require action from my Department and SEAI and one for SEAI only. All three of the C&AG recommendations were accepted by my Department and SEAI.

An Annual Report outlining progress under the various actions in the Plan will be published in Quarter 1 2024.