EPAP Consultation May 2024 - DFI Submission
Issued on May 26 2024
DFI submission on Energy Poverty
DFI recently made a submission to the public consultation on Ireland’s approach to energy poverty. We highlighted the higher rates of energy poverty and deprivation that the disabled community live with. Last year 16.1% of people unable to work due to long-standing health problems (disability) were unable to afford to keep the home adequately warm, compared with 5% of employed people or 4.5% of retired persons.
Our submission emphasised the need for targeted supports for people with disabilities. Among other actions we emphasised the need to:
- Increase social protection rates to an above the poverty line rate
- Introduce a €40 weekly Cost of Disability payment
- Expand the Fuel Allowance to provide it to all people on a disability-related social protection payment.
- Strengthen and further develop the provision of micro-generation solar panels to households on the vulnerable customer register.
- Ramp up the delivery of the Warmer Homes Scheme, expand eligibility for people with disabilities and consider prioritising those with a disability or health need.
- Provide increased retrofitting and other grants to disabled people who own their own homes, in recognition of their greater risk of energy poverty.
- Link more directly with disability organisations, and other groups working with those groups more at risk of energy poverty, to ensure sufficient supports are in place. Resource these groups to specifically work on energy poverty.
We also contributed to a joint civil society submission endorsed by 20 organisations.