Danny Healy-Rae demands restoration of stove and boiler grant
Danny Healy-Rae raised the removal of a grant that helped elderly people replace stoves, ranges and oil burners, saying the support has been stopped since 1 December 2024. He urged that the grant be restored for elderly people who worked through the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s and are now being denied assistance.
Danny Healy-Rae asked for the decision to stop the elderly people's grant to be reviewed. He said the grant previously assisted older people to replace stoves or ranges and to replace oil burners when they broke down, but that this support has not been available since 1 December 2024.
Danny Healy-Rae said a local councillor, Johnny Healy, who has 14 years standing at Kerry County Council, raised the issue last week and was told the department stopped the grant on that date. He urged the restoration of the grant for affected elderly residents.
A government speaker acknowledged the concern and indicated the change appears to stem from an EU directive governing grants for fossil fuels and related installations. The speaker said they would examine the matter further, noting some possible leeway for second-hand boilers but that the response did not address all of Danny Healy-Rae's points.
Danny Healy-Rae contrasted wider emissions issues with the immediate needs of older people, questioning what difference cutting the grant would make to the climate given other global sources of emissions. He said he was "very exercised" about ensuring elderly people can heat themselves and asked for fairness for those denied the grant.
Grant removal and immediate appeal
Danny Healy-Rae asked for the decision to stop the elderly people's grant to be reviewed. He said the grant previously assisted older people to replace stoves or ranges and to replace oil burners when they broke down, but that this support has not been available since 1 December 2024.
Local representation and report to the department
Danny Healy-Rae said a local councillor, Johnny Healy, who has 14 years standing at Kerry County Council, raised the issue last week and was told the department stopped the grant on that date. He urged the restoration of the grant for affected elderly residents.
Government response and EU directive explanation
A government speaker acknowledged the concern and indicated the change appears to stem from an EU directive governing grants for fossil fuels and related installations. The speaker said they would examine the matter further, noting some possible leeway for second-hand boilers but that the response did not address all of Danny Healy-Rae's points.
Broader remarks on emissions and priorities
Danny Healy-Rae contrasted wider emissions issues with the immediate needs of older people, questioning what difference cutting the grant would make to the climate given other global sources of emissions. He said he was "very exercised" about ensuring elderly people can heat themselves and asked for fairness for those denied the grant.
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Transcript
I respectfully ask you to look at the decision to stop the elderly people's grant from elderly people getting a grant to replace their stove or their range with a stove and people who wanted to replace their oil burner that got broke down. Since the 1st of December last, this grant is no longer available to elderly people. People who worked and put this country on its feet back through the decades of the 60s, the 70s and the 80s and the 90s, these people are being denied getting a grant. Johnny Healy raised this, a councillor, 14 years standing at Kerry County Council last week and he was told the department have stopped this grant since the 1st of December last year, 2024. I'm asking you respectfully to restore that grant to these people. Thank you, Deputy. What difference is it going to... You've asked the question, Deputy. Thank you, T-Shot. What difference is that going to make to the climate when we have bombs going off all around us in Gaza? And Ukraine and satellites and vehicles going to the moon? I'm very sorry, but I'm very exercised about this. We have planes in the sky and all kinds of emissions, but we want to stop all little old people of having a fire to heat themselves. Deputy Healy raised. I'm sorry, Kiongkhor. You're almost double your time. Be fair to your colleagues. T-Shot. Thank you, Deputy Healy raised for raising the issue. And I understand from a certain perspective as to why you are concerned about it. My understanding is it stems from an EU directive in respect of grants for fossil fuels, essentially, for installations of fossil fuel dimension to them, basically. However, I will examine it. I understand there are some leeway in terms of second-hand boilers and so forth in terms of either purchasing those, but that's not responding to the totality of what you've said. So I'd have it examined to see what can be done, if anything can be done. But there is an EU directive there which governs all of this. Thank you, T-Shot. Deputy Deputy.