Irish Examiner view: Energy efficiency measures

Among the Climate Change Advisory Council's practical recommendations are attic insulation, draught proofing, regular servicing of boilers, and the installation of heating controls.

The worsening weather around the country in recent days has given many of us pause as we consider the winter and its associated energy costs. 

In that regard, the arrival of the Climate Change Advisory Council report could hardly have been more timely, landing as it did with the first squalls of autumn. 

The council, unsurprisingly, has called for swift and decisive action on climate change and a reduction in Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels, but has also acknowledged that people are facing one of the most challenging winters in many years and need specific supports in the coming months.

Among its practical recommendations are attic insulation, draught proofing, regular servicing of boilers, and the installation of heating controls.

Interestingly, the council is also calling for the simplification of the paperwork required to access Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) energy upgrade grants.

The SEAI website offers a wealth of information on sustainable energy in general, but a glance at the ‘Application Guide: Applying For and Claiming Cash Grants’ section does reveal a 17-page PDF which gives information on the application process. A link within that PDF offers a form to download but the link leads to a page offering a choice of three different options, which in turn leads to more detail again about the different grants.

It’s good to see a State organisation take a step back and evaluate just how user-friendly its associated services are. It’s even better for the results of that self-evaluation to lead to an acknowledgement that the service can be improved.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB