Galway Bay fm newsroom - Concerns have been raised for vulnerable home owners in Galway who are waiting for planned energy upgrade works to be carried out.
Galway West TD Mairead Farrell says older people and those on lower incomes who have not had planned energy upgrades made to their homes this year, are now set to be hit with higher fuel bills due to the carbon tax increase.
The Department of the Environment scheme aims to reduce energy costs for those who can least afford them, through the installation of lagging jackets, insulation and heating upgrades.
However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year a backlog of over 7,300 homes has developed, including 353 in Galway.
The figures, provided to Kildare Sinn Fein TD Darren O'Rourke in response to a parliamentary question
come as the Government has allocated €109 million to the Warmer Homes Scheme in budget 2021.
Deputy O'Rourke's Galway West party colleague Mairead Farrell argues that this means little if the work isn’t being done on the ground.
She says in the absence of these planned works, many vulnerable people won't have energy upgrades made to their homes anytime soon and are now facing a cold winter with higher energy bills.
