Energy poverty
The number of Irish households estimated to be in energy poverty has passed 29 per cent, according to research by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
Based on one measure – the number of people who spend more than a tenth of their net income on energy bills, excluding motor fuel – recent energy inflation has increased the share of households in energy poverty to 29.4 per cent.
Responding to the figures, Green Party Senator Pippa Hackett said the Government will need to look at targeted measures to tackle the issue, describing the ESRI's findings as “stark”.
Fossil fuel transition
The Government has unveiled a new €55 million scheme aimed at helping businesses to transition from fossil fuels towards more sustainable and cheaper alternatives.
The Green Transition Scheme will allow individual manufacturing companies to access up to €1 million in funding to enable them to make the switch to greener energy.
The funding will cover the cost of planning the energy switch, as well as providing money to encourage manufacturers to invest in more environmental options.
RTÉ-Dublin Pride partnership
Members of the Oireachtas Media and Culture Committee have defended their invitation to RTÉ to appear before them after Dublin Pride severed ties over what it described as “anti-trans” discussions on Joe Duffy’s Liveline programme.
Labour Senator Annie Hoey said the Committee was “doing our due diligence” and that they had “every right” to call in RTÉ to explain what had happened to their relationship with Dublin Pride.
Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne also called on RTÉ and Dublin Pride to “sit down and discuss their differences”, preferably in advance of the Committee meeting.
Aviation travel
Over 4.7 million passengers passed through the State's five main airports in the first three months of the year, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The figure was 11 times that of the same period last year, however, remained 21 per cent below the first three months of 2020, prior to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Approximately 32,000 more flights flew to and from Irish airports between January-March this year compared to 2021, bringing the total flights figure at the five airports (Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry) to just over 41,000.
