Fuel Poverty
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-17
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Darragh O'Brien (FF), Dublin Fingal East

I agree with the Deputy. I mentioned in my first response that I am looking at this very issue right now in advance of the budget. I announced earlier this year that we would trial high-temperature heat pumps, plug-in heat pumps, which I think will be an option. A pilot of about 100 homes is ongoing. I think a number are in the Deputy's constituency. We will get the data from that. It could be a very good near-term solution. We will get the data by the end of the year or early next year. Should the data stack up, it provides us with an opportunity to roll this out at scale. It has the potential to be a really good option.
I am also looking at other measures in advance of the budget, which I discussed only last week with Cabinet colleagues, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste in budget preparation, looking in particular at that cohort with end-of-life boilers, where the boilers either are gone or are about to go, and what we can do in that space. The high-temperature heat pump has real potential but we are in the middle of that pilot right now. I met the European Heat Pump Association last week, something I would not often say. We had a good meeting looking at what is being done across Europe. There are some interesting examples, in particular in relation to high-temperature heat pumps. I am focusing on this because it could make a significant difference for many households if the data stacks up that it would work without a major retrofit on top. That is something we want to ensure we can do.
I will keep the Deputy in the loop and come back to him specifically on this issue. I am aware of the cases he has raised with me where people in this bind cannot afford to replace the boiler and are going into their second winter post the European buildings directive, which precludes local authorities from providing grants. I know that some people are trying to see if they can buy a second-hand boiler but that is not sustainable either. I will keep the Deputy in the loop.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-17/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-17