It’s extremely disappointing that older people and those with disabilities in Kerry can no longer access a grant to replace a stove.
That’s the view of Independent councillor Johnny Healy-Rae, who raised the issue at the recent council meeting.
The council explained that this grant is no longer available due to a new EU regulation.
Cllr Healy-Rae asked Kerry County Council to explain why elderly people can no longer receive a grant to replace a stove.
He said it’s unrealistic to expect these people to change to a different form of home heating when all they want is a small grant to replace the stove.
In its response, Kerry County Council outlined that this is down to a new EU regulation, which came into effect on 1st January.
Since then, public bodies cannot provide any financial incentives for the installations of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels.
The council said this covers a number of programmes and grants which it administers, including the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled Persons.
The regulations do not cover grants to repair existing fossil fuel boilers, or to install electricity or biomass-based boilers or heating systems.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Healy-Rae said this is extremely disappointing, as the grant to replace a stove was one of the most easily accessible grants with a reasonable turnaround time.
He noted that the reply also directed people to other grants such as the SEAI renewable energy grants, or the Warmer Homes scheme, which provides free home energy upgrades to homeowners who receive certain social welfare payments.
However, Cllr Healy-Rae said the Warmer Homes scheme should be scrapped, as it has wait times of over two years, and people trying to apply would be long dead before they get anything from it.
