Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
621 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when her Department proposes to introduce new measures to deal with fuel poverty for the over 65 years of age category; the designated geographic areas of work proposed; the amount of persons that will be targeted; the timescale for the project and moneys she will make available to target this persistent problem. [8634/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present my Department is in discussions with Sustainable Energy Ireland with a view to carrying out a fuel poverty action research project. These discussions are still at an early stage and the exact details of the project, such as its geographic location, timescale and the number of persons to be targeted, have yet to be decided.
Until such time as the research project has been completed and evaluated it will not be possible to determine the nature and extent of the resources required to address the issue of fuel poverty. I hope that the first phase of the project will commence in the second quarter of this year.
