Longford / Westmeath Independent candidate calls for reform of retrofit schemes to help ease fuel poverty

Speaking on the topic she said, “Anybody who wants to retrofit their house should be facilitated to do so. We are living in a time of mass fuel poverty and yet a vital route and long term solution out of the situation is in no way viable for a huge proportion of the population.”

“The current SEAI grant systems are not fit for purpose and often discourage people due to large upfront costs or a lack of contractors available. The schemes are not easily accessible and they don't encourage people to hire their local builders to retrofit their houses. There is no straightforward scheme for people to finance the works.

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"The need for upfront cash to carry out works is a real barrier.  We need to reform the way the system currently works. It would be far better for people from the SEAI to go door to door asking streets at a time, who wants to retrofit. They could then collectively organise and coordinate the works.

"We also need to ensure that state finance, in the form of zero or low interest loans are available for homeowners. These should be paid back at less than the rate of the predicted savings to ensure individuals have more money in their pocket.”

Heavin suggested the government should be targeting areas with the highest levels of fuel poverty and locations of extreme air pollution in winter time.

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She argued that such proactive retrofitting schemes could be a solution to take people out of fuel poverty and improve the environment, concluding, “If I am elected to the Dáil, I will be working to establish a retrofit system that will see larger scale uptake and have a real impact in people's daily lives. We need to end fuel poverty and fuel inequality now. “