Energy poverty and deprivation in Ireland

Abstract

The mission of the Economic and Social Research Institute is to advance evidencebased policymaking that supports economic sustainability and social progress in Ireland. ESRI researchers apply the highest standards of academic excellence to challenges facing policymakers, focusing on 12 areas of critical importance to 21 st Century Ireland.The Institute was founded in 1960 by a group of senior civil servants led by Dr T.K. Whitaker, who identified the need for independent and in-depth research analysis to provide a robust evidence base for policymaking in Ireland.Since then, the Institute has remained committed to independent research, and its work is free of any expressed ideology or political position. The Institute publishes all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of its findings or who funds the research.The quality of its research output is guaranteed by a rigorous peer review process. ESRI researchers are experts in their fields and are committed to producing work that meets the highest academic standards and practices.The work of the Institute is disseminated widely in books, journal articles and reports. ESRI publications are available to download, free of charge, from its website. Additionally, ESRI staff communicate research findings at regular conferences and seminars.The ESRI is a company limited by guarantee, answerable to its members and governed by a Council, comprising 14 members who represent a cross-section of ESRI members from academia, civil services, state agencies, businesses and civil society. The Institute receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the scientific and public interest elements of the Institute's activities; the grant accounted for an average of 30 per cent of the Institute's income over the lifetime of the last Research Strategy. The remaining funding comes from research programmes supported by government departments and agencies, public bodies and competitive research programmes.

The Cost-of-Living Crisis in the UK and Ireland: on Inflation, Indexation, and One-Off Policy Responses

“…But targeting successfully using the social security system proved to be challenging. Targeting by low income is the not the same as targeting on households with high energy costs or experiencing fuel poverty (Barrett et al, 2022;Keung & Bradshaw, 2023). There were implementation challenges, too: in the UK, local government found it difficult to apply Council Tax reductions; in Ireland the extension of public transport cost reductions to private operators was delayed, and in both countries the delivery of energy credits to households on pre-payment meters, mostly lower-income households, proved problematic.…”

Housing, Health and Happiness: How Inadequate Housing Shapes Child and Parental Wellbeing

“…The findings suggest the need for supports for upgrading (retrofitting) as well as targeted financial assistance to meet energy costs. Studies of energy deprivation among all households, rather than just those with children, show higher levels of energy deprivation among those in rental accommodation (Barrett et al, 2022), with recent inflation in energy prices disproportionately impacting on lower-income households. One-off measures, including assistance towards fuel costs, have been of greater benefit to lowerincome households (Doolan et al, 2022), but research suggests a role for better targeting of supports towards families on social welfare payments and low-income working households (Barrett et al, 2022).…”

Housing adequacy and child outcomes in early and middle childhood

“…The findings indicate that in 2017/18, prior to the current energy crisis, 7 per cent of nine-year-old children were living in homes without adequate heating for financial reasons, a factor linked to poor parent and child health and wellbeing. The current rapid rise in fuel and other prices has had a greater proportionate impact on households in the lowest quintile of the income distribution (Barrett et al, 2022). One-off measures in Budget 2023 are estimated to significantly cushion incomes, especially for those in lower-income households, raising challenges in helping low-income families to avoid fuel poverty when these measures lapse (Doolan, Doorley, Regan and Roantree, 2022).…”