Fuel poverty fears for 750 Cork households waiting on insulation
Over 143,000 homes had received free upgrades under the 'The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme' by the end of July 2021.
More than 750 householders across Co Cork face even greater fuel poverty in the coming months as prices look set to spiral and a scheme to insulate their properties has been dogged with delays.
County councillors have written to a number of government ministers asking them to fast-track the scheme with immediate effect. They say many applicants have been on the waiting list for well over two years and “haven't heard a dicky bird” about if their application is being progressed.
The need to speed up the scheme, especially in light of flagged fuel price increases, was highlighted by Fine Gael leader on the council, councillor John Paul O'Shea.
He was responding to a letter received from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications which administers 'The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme.'
Mr O'Shea pointed out it was the second time the council had written to the department seeking timelines for completion of the work and the second time they hadn't received any.
However, the department did confirm that there are 7,000 applications for the scheme nationwide, with 757 in Co Cork.
"They're in limbo and don't know what's happening. The majority of them are elderly and continue to have to pay for extra fuel costs while they await their upgrade,” Mr O'Shea said.
Mayor of County Cork, Fianna Fail councillor Gillian Coughlan, agreed the department should provide timelines for the completion of insulation works in these homes.
“Older people are suffering once again,” Fine Gael councillor Kevin Murphy said.
He won unanimous support from colleagues when he said they should contact Minister Eamon Ryan's department again along with other senior government ministers demanding a faster roll-out.
“That simply isn't good enough. This has taken on much more urgency because of increasing fuel costs,” Fianna Fáil leader on the council Seamus McGrath said.
Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle, who is a fuel merchant, said he delivers to many houses in the North Cork area which were in a poor condition and urgently needed insulating.
In its letter to the council the department said to date over 143,000 homes have received free upgrades under the scheme and the approximate average value of the energy efficiency measures provided per household was €17,100 at the end of July 2021.
It conceded that the average time from application to completion of the work was almost 26 months.
The average waiting times have increased significantly in 2021 due to the extensive Covid-19 related restrictions on construction activity between March and June of 2020.
The department added that waiting times have also been negatively impacted by challenges associated with availability of materials.
It said that additional resources have been secured this year to expand roll-out. This is being achieved by creating a new, broader contractor panel.
“Every effort is being made to maximise activity now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced,” a department spokeswoman added.
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