This election presents a critical opportunity for the next government to address energy poverty comprehensively, ensuring everyone can live in warm homes while ensuring a fair transition away from fossil fuels.

The current government has allocated record levels of funding to home retrofitting. 

It is heartening to see further commitments across almost all party manifestos to target retrofit financing for low-income households, to establish a Community Energy Advice Service in every county, expand the Fuel Allowance, and introduce a dedicated retrofit scheme for rural households reliant on oil and solid fuel. 

All of these commitments are welcome, but there is a glaring omission — renters are being left behind. Renters constitute a significant portion of our population with approximately one-in-five households in Ireland in the private rental sector. 

Yet, they have limited access to retrofitting schemes that would improve the energy efficiency and quality of their homes. This isn't just a climate issue; it's a matter of human rights, social protection, and adequate housing. 

Energy deprivation, or not being able to meet your basic energy needs, disproportionately affects renters, many of whom live in older, poorly insulated properties with higher energy costs. In 2023, 36% of renters were living in enforced deprivation, unable to afford basic essentials, like nutritious food, adequate heating, or suitable clothing.

Recent statistics from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) paint a stark picture. One in four domestic gas customers are now in arrears, and one in eight households are behind on their electricity bills. These figures underscore the urgent need for inclusive policies that address the root causes of energy poverty — inadequate income, high energy costs, and inefficient housing.

Renters, who often have little control over the energy efficiency of their homes, are particularly vulnerable. They face the double burden of high energy bills and inadequate living conditions, which can have severe health implications. 

Children living in cold homes are more than twice as likely to suffer from respiratory conditions, and adults are twice as likely to experience mental health problems.

Retrofitting homes — making them energy-efficient — is one of the most effective ways to reduce carbon emissions, lower energy bills, and improve quality of life. A retrofit strategy that doesn’t reach everyone establishes a two-tier energy system, further widening the gap between those who can adopt renewable technologies and those who cannot.

Current measures like expanding retrofit funding and establishing energy advice services are steps in the right direction, however they largely benefit homeowners. Renters, on the other hand, remain locked out of most schemes due to barriers such as lack of landlord incentives and fear of rent hikes or eviction due to renovations.

Friends of the Earth alongside a broad network of civil society organisations, including The Society of St Vincent de Paul, Age Action, the Disability Foundation, and Social Justice Ireland, have joined forces to advocate for transformative action in the next Programme for Government to eradicate energy poverty and ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels for all. 

At the heart of our joint priorities is the imperative to include renters in climate action and energy efficiency initiatives.

To ensure renters can access energy efficiency initiatives we need to see the delivery of minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) standards for rental properties promised in the Housing for All strategy. These standards are essential for addressing inefficient housing on a phased basis, starting with the leakiest, least-efficient first. 

And vitally, to protect tenants, any new standards must include strict safeguards against evictions and rent hikes, and proper resources allocated to enforcing compliance and supporting landlords to undertake improvements with tenants in-situ. 

By focusing on these areas, the next government can ensure that renters are not sidelined in climate action efforts. Energy efficiency and the right to a warm, safe home should not be privileges limited to homeowners — they must be accessible to all, regardless of tenure status.

The housing crisis, climate crisis, and cost-of-living pressures demand comprehensive solutions that address the needs of every segment of society — an energy transition that leaves no one behind.

The next programme for the Government must ensure that all people in Ireland can live in warm, energy-efficient homes with low energy bills that are not reliant on polluting fossil fuels.

By including renters in energy efficiency schemes and protecting their rights, we can take significant strides toward ending energy poverty, reducing emissions, and fostering a healthier and fairer society.

• Clare O’Connor is Friends of the Earth Programme Coordinator - Heat