More retrofitting is needed to mitigate the impact of future fuel crises, the Labour Party has argued. 

Yesterday, the Government announced a €500 million package of measures to cut the cost of living, which includes a reduction in excise duty and a delay to a looming increase in the carbon tax. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, Labour’s Ged Nash said energy insecurity in Ireland was the result of the Government’s “short-term thinking”. 

He urged the Government to double down on retrofitting, which Budget 2026 allocated €558 million to. 

“If we had been better at organising retrofitting and ensuring that we could address the real energy problems that households and businesses across the country are facing, then we may not be in this situation,” he argued. 

“We're so dependent on imported oil and the volatility that is going to be experienced into the future.

“Look at what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz this morning.” 

A man retrofitting a home with loft insulation. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

The Louth TD added that the measures announced yesterday by the Government “just simply don't cut it for ordinary working people”. 

“We're extremely concerned that the way this was managed by Government last week, ultimately, in the end, the authorities managed to clear O'Connell Street, Ireland's main street, and managed to clear the blockades,” he said. 

“But the response from Government really was cack-handed.”

Deputy Nash continued that the Government’s authority has “drained away” in recent days and Labour will "absolutely” support Sinn Féin’s motion of no confidence. 

“We need to see this motion in the first place,” he said. 

“We will make amendments to it ourselves, to make the key points that we believe need to be made on behalf of working people in this country, who are really burdened at the moment in terms of high energy costs, high education costs, high childcare costs.

“There was nothing in this package yesterday for the working people who are keeping the country going.”

Main image: A man retrofitting a home with solar panels. Picture by: Radharc Images / Alamy.