Ten leading Irish bodies have joined forces to demand solutions that will end energy poverty and climate pollution together.
Anti-poverty and environment groups including the Disability Federation of Ireland and Friends of the Earth will present their joint statement to politicians at Leinster House on Wednesday morning.
With almost a third of Irish households now thought to be in energy poverty, they have drafted a list of key demands starting with a push to help low-income homes first.
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They include assurances Ireland will reduce emissions by at least 51% by 2030 to “break our dependence on expensive fossil fuels”.
The NGOs are also calling for a windfall tax on energy firms, a ban on disconnections, a €20 rise in weekly welfare payments as well as double the fuel allowance with eligibility parameters widened.
They have urged the government to demand all energy customers are placed on the lowest available tarriff.
And would like to see 100% grants for attic and cavity wall insulation for people in or at risk of fuel poverty.
Other proposed measures include scaling up retrofitting schemes, putting solar panels on social homes and introducing grants for private rentals.
They said authorities should ensure caravans for Traveller families are built to residential standards terms of heating and insulation and are eligible for solar panel grants.
A ban on oil and gas boilers in new homes starting this year was also listed, with no new fossil fuel-based boilers installed in renovated buildings by 2025 at the latest.
Rose Wall, CEO of Community Law & Mediation Ireland, said: “Access to adequate levels of energy is a precondition to the realisation of many rights, impacting our lives, health and living standards.
“To ensure the current energy poverty crisis is effectively addressed, and does not escalate this winter, immediate resourcing is needed to protect the most vulnerable.”
Fleactha Phelan, Senior Policy Associate at the Disability Federation of Ireland said: “Many disabled people use substantially more energy, to power essential assistive technology like electric wheelchairs, hi-low beds and various machines to support breathing, for example.
“They have faced hugely escalating energy bills this year, while struggling to live off an inadequate social protection payment that hasn’t even kept up with inflation.“
Clare O’Connor, Energy Policy Officer at Friends of the Earth added: “The solution to the interconnected problems of energy affordability, supply, and pollution is the same: reduce our dependence on fossil fuels as fast as possible.
“We need to see a concerted emergency response from Government that prioritises home insulation and direct supports so that vulnerable Irish households are not left exposed to the crisis this winter.”
Nancy Power, Coordinator of National Traveller MABS, said: “Travellers living in mobiles are 9 times more likely to go without heat than the general population, are 14 times more likely to be unable to keep their household warm and 77% of Travellers in mobiles were in energy poverty. The cost of living crisis has only gotten worse since then... a national energy poverty strategy is needed urgently.”
Michelle Murphy, Research & Policy Analyst at Social Justice Ireland said: “Social Justice Ireland is calling on Government to increase all core social welfare rates by €20 per week and to make tax credits refundable. These two targeted measures would directly assist people on fixed incomes and people in low paid employment who are most impacted by rising energy costs.”
Ann-Marie Murphy, Policy Officer at Threshold said: “Tailored measures, targeting landlords and private renters are needed to reduce energy poverty among private renters and ensure they live in warm, healthy and energy efficient homes.”
Roisin Greaney, Climate Justice Researcher at TASC said: “The cost of living crisis is hitting the poorest in Ireland the hardest. There is a limited amount of time now before the winter months to reduce the disproportionate impact that rising energy bills are having on lower-income households while also making strides towards decarbonisaiton and cheaper energy costs through home energy upgrades.”
Key demands:
- Government must ensure that Ireland reduces its polluting emissions by at least 51% by 2030 in a way that eliminates energy poverty and breaks our dependence on expensive fossil fuels.
- A ban on disconnections
- A windfall tax on energy companies that have seen increased profits as a result of the energy price crisis
- Double the Fuel Allowance & widen eligibility criteria
- Increase rates of all core social welfare payments by at least €20 per week
- A requirement on energy providers to put all customers on the lowest available tariff
- Scale-up and prioritise retrofitting & solar PV on all social housing units
- Increase grants for attic & cavity wall insulation to 100% for those in or at-risk of fuel poverty.
- Introduce new retrofitting grants tailored for the private rental sector to ensure tenants are not left in cold, inefficient homes
- Ensure caravans for Traveller families are built to a residential standard in terms of heating and insulation, and are eligible for grants for solar panels.
- B an the installation of oil and gas boilers in new homes this year, with no fossil fuel-based boilers installed in renovated buildings by 2025 at the latest.
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