Vol. 460 No. 7
110 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if his attention has been drawn to a recent report by Energy Action which estimates that 300,000 people on low incomes live in badly insulated, inadequately heated homes and that Ireland's imported fuel bill could be cut by £50 million if every home was properly insulated and efficiently heated; and the plans, if any, he has to enact in response to these revelations. [2124/96]
The report referred to was prepared by Energy Action and the National Youth Federation under the project title of "Energy Enterprises". The report has been examined by officials of my Department.
The issue of poverty is high on the agendas of both my Department and the Irish Energy Centre, and a number of initiatives have been developed to address the problems, in so far as they fall within our remit.
Energy Action itself is grant supported by the Irish Energy Centre, on my Department's behalf, and I can confirm that support of £125,000, (up from £45,000 in 1995), will be made available to the group in 1996. I can also confirm that an allocation of £80,000 has been made available to grant support and train four similar groups, in various parts of the country. These groups will operate an energy conservation service, free of charge, for the elderly and those on low incomes, similar to that of Energy Action. The service will consist of attic insulation, draught proofing, the fitting of lagging jackets and energy efficient light bulbs.
My Department is currently working with the Department of the Environment to develop appropriate guidelines which will be issued to all local authorities and used in the development of local energy conservation programmes for local authority dwellings.
Finally, through the Irish Energy Centre, a report has been commissioned on the whole fuel poverty issue. This report will be finalised in the coming weeks and will be used as a basis for the development of an effective strategy to combat fuel poverty.
