'Elderly people shouldn’t have to wait years': Almost 800 Cork households waiting on Warmer Home Scheme works

A total of 782 Cork households are still waiting on Warmer Home Scheme works and Cork County Council are asking for additional resources to be allocated to reduce the waiting list and waiting times.

The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households vulnerable to energy poverty.

Councillor Ben Dalton O’Sullivan, who represents the Carrigaline Municipal District, told a meeting of Cork County Council that the main recipients of this scheme are elderly people looking to avail of free insulation upgrades to their home and they are facing up to two years wait for these works.

“This is a fantastic scheme if it worked the way it should," he said. "If we are serious about addressing climate change, schemes such as this which provide free insulation and energy upgrades for elderly people is very positive. 

"However, these people are waiting up to two years for works to be done to their home. That is unacceptable.” 

The Independent councillor also highlighted that some people are being unfairly excluded from the Warmer Home Scheme as they got works done under the scheme many years previously. He asked the council to write back to the Minister to highlight this unfairness and asked for it to be addressed.

“As Cork County Councillors we should stand up and fight for this," Mr Dalton O’Sullivan said. "We have the bones of a good scheme. 

"But elderly people shouldn’t have to wait two years to get some dry lining or insulation done. As you know, these works aren’t cheap and for many elderly people this scheme is the only hope of them getting the works done”.

He said he is ‘extremely disappointed' at the lack of response from Minister Eamonn Ryan, following a letter in reply to a motion by Cllr John Paul O’Shea at a full council motion last month.

Cllr Dalton O’Sullivan previously asked for increased resources to tackle the warmer home scheme waiting lists in county Cork.

However, in a reply to the council on 28 June, Minister Eamonn Ryan made no such commitment to providing additional resources, despite 782 Cork Households awaiting works.

The council will now reply to Minister Eamonn Ryan asking him to provide the additional resources needed to tackle the Warmer Home Scheme waiting list.