Ireland | A prominent parliamentary oversight committee has received expert testimony warning that current economic relief measures must pivot away from short-term fossil fuel subsidies to mitigate long-term cost-of-living vulnerabilities. Economists presenting to the committee highlighted that the national infrastructure remains critically exposed to international market volatility, given that over 80% of total energy supplies—including all oil and the vast majority of natural gas—are imported from overseas.The analytical briefings emphasized severe spatial inequality across the domestic housing market. While urban centers feature diverse utility networks, up to 70% of households in specific rural counties remain entirely dependent on localized oil heating systems. Furthermore, approximately 65% of residential properties constructed before 2001 lack the necessary structural insulation required to operate modern green heat pumps. To counteract these structural deficits, the researchers urged policymakers to replace universal price caps with targeted financial transfers for lower-income commuters and launch an immediate, federally funded door-to-door residential insulation campaign ahead of the winter season.
Source: University College Dublin
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