Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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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 inter agency Steering Group, chaired by my Department.

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, the Department of Finance, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Agencies and other attendees include the Heath Service Executive, The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Commission for the regulation of Utilities, the Central Statistics Office and the ESRI.

The Energy Poverty Steering Group was established in August 2022, has met 7 times and is scheduled to meet again on March 12th.

The Steering Group last met in December 2023. The main focus of this meeting was information sharing and consisted of a round table discussion on Budget 2024 measures to tackle energy poverty. This included the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme III, retrofit scheme and the Warmer Homes Scheme. The Steering Group also discussed plans for 2024 including the revision of the existing Energy Poverty Action Plan.

An Annual Report outlining Steering Group activities and progress under the various actions of the Plan during 2023 will be published before the end of Quarter 1 2024.