Warmer Homes Scheme goes cold

A county councillor has described how many elderly people must wait 18 months in cold, damp houses due to massive backlogs in the Warmer Homes Scheme.

Carrigaline Cllr Seamus McGrath was responding to a motion at this week’s full council meeting calling on the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan to drastically speed up the process.

It is critical that proper insulation is put in place in line with a modern day standard of living, the Fianna Fáil councillor said.

Bringing the motion to council was councillor for Kanturk and Mallow John Paul O'Shea (FG) who said it is not appropriate or reasonable to make people wait a year and a half for a warm home.

“Our new Minister Eamon Ryan is very to the fore when it comes to spending money on green initiatives.

“I think it's important that money is found now to advance the waiting lists. This is not acceptable,” he said.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people on low incomes.

The scheme provides funding for attic insulation, draught-proofing, lagging jackets, low-energy light bulbs, cavity wall insulation and energy advice.

Recipients must also be in receipt one of the following payments: Fuel Allowance; Working Family Payment: Jobseeker’s Allowance; Domiciliary Care Allowance; One Parent Family Payment; or Carer's Allowance.

Also supporting the motion was Independent Carrigaline Cllr Ben Dalton O'Sullivan who said the Council must “stand by our elderly people”.

Cllr Dalton O’Sullivan said he had recently contacted the SEAI on behalf of a woman who applied for the scheme two years ago and was told she was number 800 on the list.

According to a notice on the SEAI website, prior to Covid-19 disruptions, normal waiting time on the Warmer Homes Scheme, from application to completion of works, was between 18 and 24 months.

Due to public health guidelines, the scheme was fully paused between March and June and remains significantly restricted, which is having a further impact on these waiting times.

“Please be advised that average waiting times should only ever be used as a general guide; waiting times may vary, based on the demand for the scheme at the time of application. We are continuing to work through applications on a first-come, first-served basis,” the SEAI notice reads.