A senator has urged the government to stop “locking” Ireland’s most vulnerable households into costly oil and gas bills.
New figures reveal authorities continue to subsidise fossil fuel boilers in schemes targeted at the least well-off years after it stopped subsidising them generally.
Just 40 of 1,270 new heating systems installed last year under the two Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland schemes for those most at risk of fuel poverty were ground source heat pumps. The rest were oil and gas.
Read more: Number of Irish families unable to heat homes doubles in a year - new report
Lynn Boylan says: “Minister Ryan must end subsidisation of fossil fuel boilers now.
“It’s outrageous the government installed 1,230 oil and gas boilers when we’re supposed to be removing the ones already installed.
“At a time when the price of oil and gas is expected to remain volatile, installing oil and gas boilers in the homes of pensioners and people with disabilities is no transition at all never mind a just one.
“It’s completely counter intuitive.”
The Sinn Fein senator obtained SEAI’s boiler installation figures for 2022 through a parliamentary question to Environment, Climate and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan.
She added: “The direction of travel is especially worrying.
“The government ended the subsidisation of fossil fuel boilers in every energy efficiency scheme except the two programmes targeted at the least well off – the Warmer Homes Scheme and the Warmth and Wellbeing Scheme.
“They are supposed to help some of our most vulnerable people transition away from fossil fuels but instead they are locking them into oil and gas.
“More fossil fuel boilers were installed under these schemes last year than any of the preceding three years – even 2019, pre the pandemic.”
Figures provided to Sinn Fein TD Eoin O’Broin following a written question show 525 oil and gas boilers were fitted under the two schemes in 2019, 472 in 2020 and 666 in 2021.
“It seems like this scheme is being ramped up instead of down,” added Lynn.
“Of the 1,270 homes that had their heating systems upgraded under these schemes in 2022, only 40 had sustainable electric heat pumps – 3%.”
“The fossil fuel industry’s lobbying efforts are concentrated on boilers according to a environmental NGO report released this month. They are targeting politicians with every trick in the book.
“The Minister needs to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and end the subsidisation of fossil fuel boilers immediately.”
Fossil fuel boilers are still being fitted under the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme - and the Warmth and Wellbeing scheme which closed last year.
The schemes, which are administered by SEAI on behalf of government, were designed to provide free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low income households most at risk of energy poverty.
We asked the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications why fossil fuel boilers are still in the mix.
A spokesperson said: “Heat pumps can only be installed in homes that meet a high level of energy performance.
“To move the scheme away from the installation of gas or oil heating systems and to provide even more extensive upgrades with decarbonised heating systems under the scheme, the National Retrofit Plan included a commitment to carry out a pilot to upgrade more homes to a B2 standard and install heat pumps.
“This pilot commenced on schedule in Q1 2022 and is gathering evidence to inform the appropriate process and approach – to increase the number of B2 upgrades and heat pumps installations.
“SEAI has also indicated it will establish a new contractor panel for the scheme later this year.
“This will enable the scheme to deliver increased numbers of deeper retrofits over the next 4 years, with an estimated contract budget of €700 million for that period.”
2022 installation stats
Gas heating system - 759
Oil heating system - 471
Heat pump - 40
Total - 1,270
