As per the last census, there are some towns in my constituency of Offaly with up to 40% of households still relying on peat turf for home central heating. That is ten times the national average of 4%. These families are caught up in the crossfire between climate policy and home heating regulations. For many, moving from turf to a full retrofit is simply not financially feasible or logistically possible. As outlined in the programme for Government, and with the renewable heating obligation scheme due before Cabinet, I urge the Tánaiste to seriously consider low-carbon fuel alternatives such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, with a 20% blend for home heating, and wood pellets. These fuel options would offer a realistic lower-emissions bridge for households moving away from peat where they choose to do so, with immediate benefit and without the heavy upfront costs of deep retrofits. If we truly believe in a just transition, then we must ensure rural families have practical and affordable pathways to reduce emissions. We must ensure our targets are not just ambitious but achievable.

I thank Deputy Clendennen for raising this issue. We have been progressing the renewable heat obligation to ensure the increased used of renewable fuel types across the fuel heating sector is possible. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is now preparing the heads of Bill for submission to Government shortly. Representatives of that Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland also participate in an expert group on renewable and low-carbon fuels and the drafting of a new heat policy statement is now at an advanced stage. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter and I recognise its importance in Offaly and the surrounding areas. Our programme for Government commits to targeting older homes still using oil to switch to renewable heating systems and to consider the use of sustainable biofuels to reduce emissions from existing home boilers where deep retrofits are not always possible in the short term. These commitments are framing the work now under way to develop our new heat policy statement and the roadmap to phase out fossil fuel heating systems. There is a draft statement that is informed by the findings of a new national heat study. This has undergone extensive consultation and will set out our new overarching approach to decarbonising the heat sector as well. Finally, the 2025 programme for Government also includes a commitment to examine the taxation of HVO used for commercial freight to support sustainable transport solutions, which the Department of Finance is also undertaking.