Press Release: Environment   08 May 2006

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Government giving with one hand and taking back with the other
 

The Green Party has called on the Government to explain why funding provided by Sustainable Energy Ireland for implementing energy efficiency measures has subsequently been deducted by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said, "I find it incredible that the Minister for the Environment is deducting the money made available by Sustainable Energy Ireland from the Department of the Environment social housing budgets.

"The outcome is that social housing schemes appear on paper to have been granted Government funding from Sustainable Energy Ireland but in reality they have simply had that same amount deducted from their budget later on by the Department of the Environment. With one stroke of the pen the Minister is removing the incentive to build energy-efficient housing in the social housing sector.

"Determined and coordinated action from all Government Departments is what is needed to deal with rising energy costs, our Kyoto commitments and climate change. However, what we see here is a complete lack of coordination and a failure by this Government to grasp the problem of energy efficiency.

"People living in social housing are more likely to suffer from fuel poverty, yet Minister Roche is deliberately removing the incentive to make such homes fuel-efficient.

"It is extremely disappointing that just at the point where local authorities around the country, lead by Fingal and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown councils have begun to see energy efficiency as a priority, it emerges that the Minister for the Environment has once again shown his unwillingness or incapacity to take this issue seriously," concluded Deputy Cuffe.

Note: Text of Dáil Question follows:

4th of May 2006

Ciaran Cuffe: "To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if housing construction schemes which received funding from his Department but also qualified for funding for energy efficiency from Sustainable energy Ireland have had money deducted from their initial Department funding."


Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr N. Ahern): "The setting of budget costs by my Department for the construction of social housing schemes involve adjustments of funding levels to eliminate duplication of funding sources should there be cases where funding is provided by Sustainable Energy Ireland."