Vulnerable households 'locked into oil and gas' by heating upgrade schemes, says senator

Lynn Boylan said: “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.”

Some lower-income households that have received heating system upgrades grants for their home are being “locked into oil and gas”, a Sinn Féin senator has said.

Lynn Boylan was reacting to new figures revealed in a parliamentary answer from the Department of the Environment that over 1,200 gas or oil heating systems were installed under two schemes aimed at supporting vulnerable households last year.

Furthermore, this figure represented an increase on previous years with 525 such boilers installed in 2019, 472 in 2020, and 666 in 2021 on the Warmer Homes Scheme and the Warmth & Well-being Scheme.

The Warmer Homes scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty while the Warmth & Well-being Scheme, which has now closed to new applications, is aimed at improving the living conditions of vulnerable people living in energy poverty with chronic respiratory conditions.

Such upgrades are recommended in instances where there is no heating in place or the existing system is obsolete where the home is receiving an attic and/or wall measure.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

These are the only two schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) where the installation of a new gas or oil heating system can be funded. Ms Boylan said such schemes are supposed to help some of the most vulnerable people transition away from fossil fuels.

“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,” she said.

“There were more fossil fuel boilers installed under these schemes last year than any of the preceding three years — even 2019, pre the pandemic. It seems like this scheme is being ramped up instead of down.

Of the 1,270 homes that had their heating systems upgraded under these schemes in 2022, only 40 had sustainable electric heat pumps — 3%.

In response to the parliamentary question, the minister said that works are ongoing to move away from gas and oil towards more extensive upgrades with decarbonised heating systems.

To this end, a pilot scheme was commissioned as part of commitments in the National Refrofit Plan.

“This pilot commenced in Q1 2022 and is gathering evidence to inform the appropriate process and approach to increase the number of B2 upgrades and heat pump installations delivered under this scheme.”