Energy upgrade scheme

Sir, – The Government again has managed to demonstrate the utmost inefficiency in the delivery of the of the so-called energy upgrade scheme. The scheme is wrapped up in bureaucratic red tape and, in addition, the inability to access low-cost loans to fund these upgrades excludes the average houseowner from completing even the most basic of upgrades. An Post, one of the few are advertising low-cost loans for energy upgrades, took all of 20 seconds from pressing submit to reject my application for a loan of €6,000 over a three-year period. With an above-average salary, it was difficult to understand why my application was refused, and a quick call to An Post to try to understand the rejection was a wasted exercise of listening to a bored individual reciting a script about how the decision-making process ultimately rests with the Central Bank.

For those of us who don’t have the money for our insulation upgrades, I suppose we can take comfort in the fact that Lidl has regular offers on thermal underwear. – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL REYNOLDS,

Kilgarvan,