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Press release
Green New Deal stuck on red
21 May 2012
Business, trades union, voluntary sector and farming leaders [1] called on the NI Executive to give a green light to the Green New Deal today. Nearly 18 months after the Executive first promised £12 million[2] to enable households to invest in energy efficiency, the people behind the ground-breaking scheme are concerned that the Executive is still sitting on the money.
John Woods, Project Leader, said
"The Executive's last budget allocated £4 million a year to the Green New Deal from April this year but the scheme appears to be bogged down in an economic appraisal process that has been going on for over six months[3]. Meanwhile hard pressed householders are missing out as they struggle to cope with ever rising fuel prices."
Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, is expected to speak on the issue in the Assembly today in response to a question from Alliance MLA, Chris Lyttle[4]. The Green New Deal Group wants the Minister to announce that he will work with the Green New Deal group to get the scheme up and running as soon as possible.
Since its official launch in 2010, the Green New Deal has enjoyed the support of all the parties in the Executive[5]. Designed to tackle the 'triple crunch' of unemployment, rising energy prices and climate change by investment in insulating all of Northern Ireland's housing stock to high standards, the Green New Deal has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the construction industry, protect households from rising energy prices and cut carbon emissions[6].
Paddy McIntyre, Chair of the Green New Deal Group, said
"The benefits of the Green New Deal are clear: Government's £12 million investment will leverage £70 million of private investment over the next three years leading to total consumer savings of £440 million over 15-20 years. This is incredibly good value for money and we need to start delivering those savings to households now."
The Green New Deal plan for housing provides a 'one-stop-shop' for households - offering a free energy assessment, an installation service competitively tendered so they know they are getting the best price, a government grant and finance package, and after sales service.
A key feature is the pay-as-you-save scheme which means that the capital cost of the work is paid for by a loan to the household. The loan repayments are less than the savings that will be made on the energy bill as a result of work done on the house, so there is no up front cost to the customer and they will make immediate savings on their energy use. Once the loan is paid off, they will make big savings - an average of £350 a year.
Notes
[1]The NI Green New Deal Group steering group comprises: Paddy McIntyre (Chair) | John McMullan, Bryson Group | Nigel Smyth, CBI | Patrick Thompson, Energy Saving Trust | Declan Allison, Friends of the Earth | Peter Bunting, ICTU | Joanne Stuart, IOD | Seamus McAleavey, NICVA | Noel Rice, NIHE | Clarke Black, UFU | John Woods, Project Leader
[2] NI Executive Budget 2011-15: "The Green New Deal is an ambitious investment programme which will leverage in significant amounts of private sector funding to deliver energy efficiency measures, and create several thousand jobs over a three year period. This scheme aims to reduce waste, cut bills for participating households, sustain employment through the recession and modernise our housing stock. In light of this the Executive has agreed in principle to engage and resources have been set aside accordingly."
[3] The Green New Deal Group submitted a business plan requested by DSD on 14 October 2011.
[5] DUP Ministers will...Commence a Province-wide retrofit programme providing a range of energy efficiency measures thereby creating jobs, combating fuel poverty, reducing carbon emissions and cutting domestic energy bills. DUP Manifesto 2011.
Implement the 'Green New Deal' proposals, with the potential to create thousands of green collar jobs...Provide adequate resources for the Green New Deal. Sinn Féin Manifesto 2011.
The Ulster Unionist Party is committed to the Green New Deal and we want to see Northern Ireland becoming less dependent on imported fossil fuels. UUP proposals for 2011-15 PfG.
Implementing the Green New Deal: The SDLP is absolutely committed to this sustainability and job creation plan. SDLP Manifesto 2011.
Alliance will support and fund the Green New Deal Group housing proposal. Alliance Party Manifesto 2011.
Also:
The Green Party is fully committed to delivering the Green New Deal insulation scheme. Green Party Manifesto 2011.
[6] See 'Benefits' section of the Green New Deal Business Plan.
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Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
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Published by Friends of the Earth Limited
Last modified: May 2012
