Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 March 2012
53 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the claim made at a conference on 7 February 2012 that half the population will be living in fuel poverty within five years if current trends continue; and her plans in response to same. [11877/12]
View answerI am aware of the claim made by an individual at the Energy Action conference and I do not accept it. The publication of "Warmer Homes — A Strategy for Affordable Energy in Ireland" at the end of November 2011 proposes, for the first time, a framework that will combine national and geographically focused actions to improve the thermal efficiency of the housing stock, provide targeted income supports and ensure that comprehensive advice and information is provided to vulnerable and other groups affected by energy poverty. My Department spent some €530 million in 2011 on the fuel allowance scheme and the telephone, gas and electricity elements of the household benefits package benefitting some 390,000 people on household benefits and 375,000 on the fuel allowance. In 2005 there were 325,000 people on household benefits and 265,000 on the fuel allowance at a cost of €280 million. This indicates that whilst the number of beneficiaries has increased by more than 20% the costs of provision of these schemes have almost doubled.
Energy efficiency is an area of increasing investment and innovation in Ireland. Improving energy efficiency will pay dividends for the environment, energy security and competitiveness. It will also contribute towards meeting our European target of 20% energy efficiency savings by 2020. Since 2006, more than €81 million has been expended on providing energy efficiency improvements in over 80,000 homes under the Better Energy programme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, on behalf of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. As set out in the Government's Affordable Energy Strategy, the focus in 2012 will shift to addressing those households considered at higher levels of energy poverty as a priority; such households typically spend over 20% of their disposable income on energy services. This will ensure that those most in need receive the benefit of energy efficiency measures first.
