Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

£2.4 million for rural fuel poverty welcomed - Brady

Published: 18 September, 2008

£2.4 million for rural fuel poverty welcomed

Sinn Féin Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh, Mickey Brady has welcomed the announcement of £2.4 million to tackle fuel poverty in rural areas following agreement between Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Michelle Gildernew MP MLA and the Social Development Minister.

Mickey Brady said:

"This will allow 630 rural homes to get the get the insulation and heating improvements they urgently need.

"Before this agreement these rural homes were not going to be covered by the Department of Social Development's Warm Homes Scheme so I want to congratulate Michelle Gildernew on making sure that people in rural communities are not disadvantaged.

"This announcement also shows that when we get decisive leadership that we can get help for people who would have otherwise of been excluded from this Warm Homes Scheme.

"The deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has put forward a range of proposals that could make an immediate impact on the household burden, this included steps such as this from the Agriculture Minister to target rural fuel poverty.

"The McGuinness proposals also included the indefinite deferral of domestic contributions towards water and sewerage services and the establishment of an emergency fund to address fuel poverty. Both of these measures would make an immediate and long-lasting difference." ENDS