SDLP Lisburn Councillor Brian Heading has said cavity wall insulation must be included in the Department for Social Development's (DSD) Warm Home Scheme.

Mr Heading was speaking after the DSD included the removal and replacement of ineffective cavity wall insulation to existing measures in its consultation on 'Affordable Warmth'.

Mr Heading said: "I welcome that DSD has added the removal and replacement of ineffective cavity wall insulation as a raft of new measures to its 'Affordable Warmth' consultation along with other forms of insulation, awareness and advice. The SDLP has been working to have the issue of cavity wall included in this documentation process. Developing an effective strategy against fuel poverty will mean less strain on the health service and people will take fewer days off work through ill-health. But more importantly than that it will seek to ensure those in dire fuel poverty are catered for. I urge everybody to engage with the consultation process and ensure that those who need our protection are safeguarded in legislation. We all know people who are elderly, on their own and in fuel poverty. We need to do everything in our power to ensure that they never have to make the decision between heating their homes and eating."

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(CD/MH)