‘Energy price hike should lead to home insulation focus’

THE SDLP’s MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has urged the Housing Executive and housing associations to increase investment in home energy efficiency, in response to the dramatically increasing energy costs.

Said the Foyle MLA: “The rising cost of energy will be financially crippling for many families.

“It is essential that social housing providers do all that they can to mitigate the cost of energy through accelerating investment in home insulation and other energy efficiency measures.

“I have lodged a written question to the communities minister asking her to intervene to reverse a Housing Executive decision to postpone the installation of more energy efficient doors and windows in the Waterside area of Derry.

“This is the wrong move at the wrong time.

“Gas price increases will be particularly hard to bear for social housing tenants.

“There has been a significant programme in recent years to convert social homes from oil to gas heating.

“While this reduces carbon emissions, on current prices it increases the cost of home heating, given that gas is at present more expensive than oil.

“This illustrates the point that for reasons both of fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions it is essential to focus on insulating homes and making them more energy efficient,” added Mrs McLaughlin.

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