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Sign the Petition to Save the Northern Ireland Boiler Scrappage Scheme
16th March 2010
Plumbing & Heating in Northern Ireland Magazine has launched a petition in response to the failure of Northern Ireland's Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie to announce the introduction of a Boiler Scrappage Scheme in Northern Ireland.
A similar scheme in England has been in operation since January 2010 and has been so successful, there have already been calls for it to be extended. The English scheme provides for a £400 rebate on the installation of a new high efficiency, condensing boiler and many boiler manufacturers have pledged to match the Government's contribution.
Variations of the English Scheme are set to be launched in Scotland and Wales, leaving Northern Ireland as the only part of the country not to operate such a scheme... despite the fact the national government at Westminster has already allocated funding for a Scheme in the province.
Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly last week, Minister Ritchie said "A boiler replacement scheme should not be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis. Given the limited availability of resources in the current economic climate, I must ensure that resources are specifically targeted at those who are most in need. I have reservations about introducing a scheme that would require those on the lowest income to provide an additional £1,000, at the very least, towards the cost of installing a new and efficient boiler."
In less than 75 words, Minister Ritchie missed the point of the proposed scheme altogether. There already are schemes that target 'those' who Ms. Ritchie describes as 'most in need'. Indeed, the Minister should be well aware of them, as her Department is responsible for funding them. However, there are no schemes which target those who are not eligible for help through existing schemes; people who fellow MLA Simon Hamilton described as the 'working poor'.
Even if the breadth of existing, means tested schemes were to be extended, there will always be people who whilst suffering from fuel poverty, will fail to meet the necessary eligibility criteria. And this is where a Boiler Scrappage Scheme with its universal entitlement, is uniquely positioned to help. A £400 contribution from Minister Ritchie that in all probability would be matched by boiler suppliers, would in many instances make the difference between thousands of Ulster householders escaping the fuel poverty trap or remaining fuel poor.
Adam Hassin, Editor of Plumbing & Heating in Northern Ireland Magazine says, "Since Mike Williams launched the original petitioin in England, a lot of people from Northern Ireland backed the campaign, so it was with some dismay that the scheme was only initially introduced in England.
"The plumbing and heating industries in Scotland and Wales have taken the initiative and forced their devolved governments into action, so it is imperative that Northern Ireland does not miss out. We are delighted at the backing we have already received from leading figures within the industry and with the launch of the petition, we are hoping that people from all sections of the plumbing and heating sector in the province will back the campaign."
Unlike the national government at Westminster, the Northern Ireland Assembly does not operate an online petition system. However, Adam and his colleagues at Karen McAvoy Publishing have kindly decided to co-ordinate a petition.
To sign it all you have to do is to cut and paste the following text and then e-mail your name and full address to Adam at boilerscrapni@kmpltd.co.uk:
I call for the boiler scrappage scheme (currently available in England) to be extended to include Northern Ireland.
