Grant to replace old solid fuel burners and stoves unlikely to return

A grant to replace solid fuel and oil boilers is unlikely to return according to a senior official of Mayo County Council despite calls for it to be reinstated.

Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray criticised a decision by the Government not to renew a grant scheme which allowed for old oil and solid burn heating systems to be replaced by new ones.

The monthly meeting of Mayo County Council heard that the decision was made to phase out the allocation of grant aid to replace old boilers last year and it was unlikely to return.

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Charletown-based councillor Gerry Murray said the decision will impact on many elderly people who are reliant on oil and solid fuel heating in their homes.

“The amazing thing is they cannot get a grant for a new one but they can get a grant for repairing the old crocked oil burners. Some of them are beyond repair and the others the labour and time involved will be well in excess of the price of a new one,” he told the meeting.

Cllr Murray added that many people will not be in a position to invest in alternative energy sources and move away from what they are used to.

“I will be calling on the Government to restore that concession to these people's oil burners which are at the end of life when they too are probably as well at the end of their life. They are not going to install an air to water [heat pump] system and revamp their house. It is causing significant problems. What is the prospect of getting that reversed. I know there is a climate change issue but it is a very harsh and tough decision.”

Director of Services with Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan replied that Cllr Murray is correct in that the scheme has been phased out by the Government and it is unlikely to return to its original format.