Research conducted by Queen's University Belfast and Technological University Dublin, which was commissioned by the Irish Heart Foundation and the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland, indicates that 1,000 lives could be saved on the island of Ireland each year if air pollution was reduced. A major source of air pollution comes from the burning of solid fuels in the home. Many people have no alternative but to use such fuels. They are not eligible for or cannot afford the retrofitting schemes that the Government provides. That is why Sinn Féin proposed a dedicated retrofitting scheme targeted directly at those who are dependent on solid fuel. The Government did not oppose a Dáil motion relating to that proposal last October. Will the Tánaiste please act on that proposal and introduce a dedicated retrofitting scheme for households that depend on solid fuel?

I am not clear how a scheme could be specifically targeted. The Government has taken action in respect of air pollution. Air pollution is a killer. I am not sure whether Sinn Féin supported the ban on smoky coal when it was introduced. That ban was necessary. There was a big row in the Dáil at the time. The original ban was introduced by Mary Harney in and around 1990. If I am not mistaken, she introduced the first ban on smoky coal in Dublin. Then there is the issue of pollution from cars and so on. That is why the move to electric vehicles is important. We are targeting a number of measures on retrofitting at those on low incomes. We will examine any further measures we can take.