Energy Action Ltd.

Dublin City

Energy Action Ltd

The key objective of the Energy Action is to alleviate fuel poverty in Dublin by provision of insulation in the homes of older people and needy people including all who receive fuel allowance from Department of Social Welfare.

(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

Energy Action Ltd
(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

Energy Action Ltd

The key objective of the Energy Action is to alleviate fuel poverty in Dublin by provision of insulation in the homes of older people and needy people including all who receive fuel allowance from Department of Social Welfare.

(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

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Energy Action Ltd was established in 1988. It is an Irish Registered Charity with a voluntary Board of Directors drawn from a variety of backgrounds in both the public and private sector. The key objective of the organisation is to alleviate fuel poverty in Dublin by provision of insulation in the homes of older people and needy people including all who receive fuel allowance from Department of Social Welfare. In order to qualify for the services, the recipients must be in receipt of a fuel allowance, blind pension or referrals from bona fide organisations, for example, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), St. Vincent De Paul, Age Action, Alone or from a GP or health professional.

Energy Action provides a free insulation service in the homes of the elderly and disadvantaged. The pensioners are befriended and given practical advice as well as being issued with a leaflet on energy saving and a thermometer card. In 2009, 1,592 houses received attic insulation, energy advice, energy light bulbs, draught-proofing and other services in Dublin City. The primary benefit to the community is increased comfort due to greater heat retention in their homes. Added to this, however, is the fact that older people often appreciate being visited by the Energy Action crews, thus helping to combat the sense of isolation in the home.

Energy Action Ltd

Staff of Energy Action Ltd. Energy Action creates work opportunities for the long term unemployed that are creative, sustainable and ecologically sound.

(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

Energy Action Ltd
(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

Energy Action Ltd

Staff of Energy Action Ltd. Energy Action creates work opportunities for the long term unemployed that are creative, sustainable and ecologically sound.

(c) Comhar Sustainable Development Council

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Energy Action are funded through FÁS, Community Employment (CE) schemes, Full Time Job Initiative (FTJI) and Pobal's Community Services Programme which are designed to take previously long term unemployed people, provide work opportunities in the domestic energy sector and train them in various skills to enable them gain productive full time employment.

Energy Action creates work opportunities for the long term unemployed that are creative, sustainable and ecologically sound. To ensure delivery of this, they have developed a suite of energy efficiency training modules, including a FETAC Level 5 Installing Insulation module and FETAC Level 5   Energy Management in Domestic Buildings module. In addition, the organisation developed an expertise in Building Energy Rating training. 

Energy Action is currently running the first dedicated energy efficiency Local Training Initiative on behalf of FÁS, which targets “Green Energy” training modules, providing trainees with a range of skills required to progress into employment in the Domestic Energy Efficiency Sector. The Local Training Initiative is a 9 month programme that currently includes twelve modules relevant to “Green Energy”.

With funding support from ADM (now Pobal) and later from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Energy Action mentored and helped establish 22 Community Based Projects in most counties in Ireland. There are now over 600 people employed in these projects. All of these projects must have their staff qualified in FETAC Installing Insulation and FETAC Energy Management in Domestic Buildings. This has resulted in a high quality service delivery and a very delighted clientelle. A national Forum of these projects has been established and they meet every quarter networking and sharing their know-how.

Energy Action has also be the forerunner of publishing research reports that included   in 1995 "Energy Conservation and Job Creation in The Domestic Sector", followed by  "Homes for the 21st Century- The Cost & Benefits of Comfortable Housing for Ireland" in 1999. This was the forerunner of the recent published Greenprint for a National Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme that is now being rolled out by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.