This article is from page 102 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 102 JPG
THOUSANDS of Clare household- ers will be unable to adequately heat WeCoHb Mm SCO)OOCCAMAOUISIAY SUSI Koo MEAD OCOMRY OOO MELUN fer health problems as a result.
The Renewable Energy Skills Skillnet CRESS) has also predicted that Clare will struggle to achieve building efficiency ratings of 60 per cent within ten years, as envisaged by the EU and it will cost an esti- mated €1.308 billion for the county to achieve this target by 2018.
The industry-led group claims that the combination of shrinking pur-
chasing power, energy inefficient homes and forecasts of a cold win- ter will leave many Clare families unable to afford the recent and im- minent hikes in energy costs. A tank of home heating oil will cost house- holders an average of ©800 this win- ter, compared to €600 in 2007.
RESS has called on the Govern- ment and Clare Local Authorities to examine ways of alleviating the pressures on the elderly and low-in- come households to heat their homes during the coming months.
“The Government should ensure that vulnerable sections of the com-
munity are provided with as much assistance as possible. In particu- lar, it should look at increasing the winter fuel allowance, which oper- ates from September to April’, said Johnny Flynn, RESS Chairperson. Mr. Flynn, who is an environ- mentalist, engineer and Ennis town councillor said the Government and Sustainable Energy Ireland should expand the Greener Homes Scheme to include local authority rented ac- commodation units. Long-term ten- ants should be entitled to individual- ly apply for grants to improve energy efficiency and to incorporate renew-
able technologies in their homes.
“RESS urges all Clare local au- thorities to prepare contingency plans to help tenants meet high en- ergy costs particularly in the case of poorly heated social housing units’, he said.
RESS Project Leader, Dick Whelan said the introduction of environmen- tally sound construction methods and materials in the building of new homes was being undermined by the fact that approximately two thirds of Clare homes built before 1997 were poorly insulated and energy ineffi- cient and nowhere near meeting na-
tional energy efficiency targets.
RESS was set up in 2004 to provide training and support to plumbing and heating contractors and related trades and professionals involved in the design, specification, installation and maintenance of Renewable En- ergy Heating Systems.
The group will host the fourth Na- tional Renewable Energy Heating Conference in Bunratty, on Friday October 17 when speakers will in- clude Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federa- tion and Junior Environment Minis- ter Michael Kitt .