Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes and Trailers: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

A study into energy poverty among Travellers living in mobile homes and trailers

Full text

ACCOMMODATING ETHNICITY
Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers
Living in Mobile Homes and Trailers:
An Exploratory Study

1
ACCOMMODATING ETHNICITY
Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers
Living in Mobile Homes and Trailers:
An Exploratory Study
Compiled for National Traveller MABS by:
Dr. Stuart Stamp,
Independent Social Researcher &
Research Associate,
Department of Applied Social Studies,
Maynooth University.
and
Michelle Kearns,
National Support and Development Worker
National Traveller MABS
June 2019

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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Executive summary 5
1. Introduction 7
1.1 Study population and key concepts 7
1.2. Income and energy poverty 8
1.3. Cost of energy 8
 1.4. Energyefciency 9
2. Policy context 11
2.1. National strategy on energy poverty 11
2.2. Traveller accommodation and caravan loan schemes 12
2.3. Income and service supports 12
2.4. Financial inclusion 13
3. Research Objectives and Methods 15
3.1. Research objectives 15
3.2. Research design and methods 15
3.3. The sample 16
 3.4. Studylimitations 19
 3.5. Presentationofndings 19
4. Income, Financial Exclusion and Energy Poverty 21
4.1. Extent of energy poverty 21
4.2. Household income 24
4.3. Poverty 25
4.4. Payment/banking exclusion 26
 4.5. Creditexclusionandenergyinefcienthomes 28
5. Accommodation and Energy Loss 31
5.1. Age of accommodation 31
5.2. Repairs and replacement 32
5.3. Insulation and weather glazing 34
5.4. Condensation 35
5.5. Ventilation 36
6. Energy Management: Sources, Use and Costs 37
6.1. Sources of power 37
 6.2. Heatingappliances 39
6.3. Running water 41
6.4. Laundry 41
6.5. Energy costs 42
List of Contents

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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7. Consequences of Energy Poverty 45
7.1. Health and disability 45
7.2 Safety issues 46
 7.3. Inabilitytopay,arrearsanddisconnection 49
7.4 Environmental issues 50
8. Conclusion and Recommendations 51
8.1. Overall conclusion 51
8.2. Policy recommendations 51
List of Tables 55
Table 1: Sample by Accommodation Type
Table 2: Household Composition of Sampled Households
Table 3: Location of Mobile Homes or Trailers
Table 4: Extent of Group Living
Table 5: Going Without Heat and Inability to Keep the Home Warm
Table 6: Percentage of Household Income Spent on Energy
Table 7: Percentage of Household Income Spent on Energy by Occupancy Status
Table 8: Average Household and Individualised Incomes: Sample v Population
Table9: AtRiskofPovertyComparison:SamplevPopulation
Table 10: Income Relative to the Poverty Line
Table 11: Method of Payment Used for Energy
Table 12: Borrowing Source for Mobile Homes and Trailers
Table 13: Age of Accommodation at the Time of Interview
Table 14: Period of Residence in Current Accommodation
Table 15: Need for Repair to Accommodation
Table 16: Number of Items Needing Repair
Table 17: Insulation and Weather Glazing of Accommodation
Table 18: Experience of Condensation
Table19: EnergyEfciency:HeatingAppliances
Table 20: Need for Repair to Appliances
Table 21: Weekly Spend on Fuel and Light Comparison: Sample v Population
Table 22: Amount of Weekly Household Income Spent on Energy by Occupancy Status
Table 23: Weekly Amount Spent on Energy by Type
Table24: Health-RelatedIssuesIdentiedbyRespondents
Table25: ElectricityRepaymentDifculties
Appendices 57
(i) Survey Questionnaire 57
(ii) Organisations assisting this research 75

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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Travellers remain one of the
most marginalised groups in
Irish society, despite recent
acknowledgement of their
ethnic status

5
Travellers remain one of the most marginalised groups in Irish society, despite recent acknowledgement
of their ethnic status. This marginalisation plays out in many ways, not least in terms of income poverty,
andrelatedsocialandnancialexclusion.Previousresearchsuggestsitalsomanifestsitselfinterms
of fuel or energy poverty, and anecdotal evidence suggests the phenomenon to be particularly acute
among households living in mobile homes or trailers, where group living and energy sharing is the
norm. However, there has been no systematic enquiry into the extent and nature of energy poverty
among Travellers living in such accommodation to date, and this dimension appears not to have been
factored in to public policy.
This Traveller-collaborative research project endeavours to identify whether there are any specic
dimensions to energy poverty in such settings, and if so, the factors that may be contributing to this. In
so doing, it has three objectives, namely to: (i) identify the extent and nature of energy poverty among
Travellers living in mobile homes or trailers, together with its consequences; (ii) identify the extent to
which the accommodation itself increases the risk of energy poverty among the cohort, together with
any other associated factors and; (iii) make policy recommendations to address energy poverty in this
context from a Traveller standpoint.
The ndings are fourfold. Firstly,there is a heightened risk of energy poverty for Traveller families
living in mobile homes/trailers and particularly for those living on unauthorised sites including at the
roadside, with energy costs overall being considerably higher than for the population at large and
nancial difculties prevalent. Secondly,lack of resources, exacerbated by nancial exclusion and
widespreadrelianceoncash,isakeyunderlyingfactornotjust in terms of presenting difculties in
meeting energy costs but more fundamentally as a barrier to the purchase of affordable and more
energyefcientaccommodationintherstinstance.Thirdly,theresultisthatthemobilesandtrailers
acquiredarerelatively old, in sub-standard condition andlargelyenergy inefcient. Finally,this has
identiableconsequences,mostnotablyintermsofsafetyandthehealthoffamilymembersincluding
children; there is also an environmental dimension here.
Given widespread lack of resources coupled with the poor condition and energy inefciency of
accommodationamongthesample,werecommendthatastate-nancedrentalor‘rent-to-buy/shared
ownership’caravan (“demountable chalet”)scheme be explored to ensure: (i)accessto affordable,
sustainable and quality-standard homes for Travellers who wish to reside in culturally appropriate
accommodation, and (ii) that the household - and by extension environmental - consequences of energy
poverty in this context are addressed. A small number of social welfare related recommendations are
also made.
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
Executive Summary

6
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
An inability to heat or power one’s
home to an adequate degree
(which) is a function of three
factors – income, the cost of
energy and the energy efciency
of the home.

7
1.1 Study population and key concepts
Travellers comprise a small percentage (around 0.7%) of the population,1 of which a minority
(estimatedtonumber 1,015 households) live in what the Census categorises as“caravansorother
mobiletemporarystructures”.2 This is the population under examination for the purposes of this study,
andweusetheterms“mobilehomes”andtrailers”todistinguishbetweenthoselivinginmultipleroom
(mobile home) and single room (trailer) accommodation.
Sometimesreferred to as‘caravan living’, thisdistinctive or nomadicway of life is characteristic of
Traveller culture and tradition, which the Irish State has recently formally acknowledged – and thereby
committed to support - by way of its recognition of Traveller ethnicity.3Asignicant proportionofthe
Community (around 13%) continues to view life in a permanent halting site as ‘the ideal place to
live’, 4 although this practice has been in decline in recent decades for various reasons, not least the
availability of space within which to reside, and a societal/policy failure to develop adequate halting site
provisionsincetheinceptionoftheTravellerAccommodationAct,1998.
Thisidealisnot,however,withoutitschallenges,andthroughitsworkonnancialinclusion,National
TravellerMABS has identied onepotentialchallenge– relevant to families and policymakers alike
- namely that of “energy poverty” (formerly referred to as “fuel poverty”), a concept conventionally
denedasfollows:
An inability to heat or power one’s home to an adequate degree (which) is a function of three
factors – income, the cost of energy and the energy efciency of the home.5
ThisphenomenoniscurrentlyquantiedinIrelandusingwhatisknownasthe‘expendituremethod,’
whereby a household that spends more than 10% of their income on energy is considered to be in
energy poverty.6 Experiencing such a situation is known to have various consequences both for the
household members directly involved and for the environment as a whole,7 and we suspect this to
be a particular issue in a mobile home or trailer setting. Our working hypothesis, based on previous
research, available data and anecdotal evidence, is that we would expect to nd higher levels of
energy poverty – and thereby heightened consequences - among Traveller families living in such types
of accommodation for various reasons, which relate to each of these three factors, as now discussed.
1 CentralStatisticsOfce(2017).Census 2016 Prole 8 - Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and Religion. Cork: Central Statistics
Ofce.Accordingtothe2016Census,thetotalnumberofusuallyresidentIrishTravellersenumeratedinApril2016was
30,987,anincreaseof5.1%onthe2011gure;around12%resideinmobileaccommodation.
2 Ibid.
3 Travellers are the sole group to have their ethnicity recognised domestically.
4O’Mahony,J.andAssociates(2017).Behaviour and Attitudes Survey: Traveller Community National Survey, July
2017.Dublin:TheCommunityFoundationforIreland,p.59.
5 Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2016). A Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty, 2016-
2019. Dublin: Government of Ireland, p8.
6 See: https://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/news-and-media/press-releases/Pages/combatenergypovertypress.aspx#
7 Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2016), ibid.
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
1. Introduction

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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1.2. Income and energy poverty
Levels of education and labour force participation are known to be lower among Travellers8 and
particularly among those living in mobile homes/trailers.9 Hence, we would expect household incomes
to be lower than average, thereby resulting in fewer resources to devote to energy costs; this was the
ndingof apreviousstudyofasmallnumber ofTravellerslivingonanofcial haltingsitewho were
engaging with a Dublin-based MABS.10
AlthoughwedonothavespecicdataonpovertyratesamongTravellersingeneral,11 the above MABS
studyidentiedhigherratesofpovertyamongtheTravellercohortinterviewed,anditisreasonableto
make broad assumptions from Census data:
These data show levels of unemployment, poor health, disability, low educational attainment,
inadequate housing, and premature mortality among the Traveller population, which suggest that
they are also exposed to distinctively high levels of poverty and deprivation.12
Lack of income can lead directly to having to go without conventional necessities, or what is commonly
referredtoas‘enforceddeprivation’,as aresultoflackofmoney.Twoindicatorsofsuchdeprivation
used to identify the extent and characteristics of consistent poverty across Ireland, are as follows:
(i) Going without heating at some stage in the last year through lack of money, and
(ii) Being unable to keep the home adequately warm as cannot afford it. 13
These experiences were reported by 8.1% and 4,4% of individuals respectively in 2017. By way of
comparison, Travellers interviewed for the (albeit) small-scale 2017 MABS study cited above almost
invariably reported such experiences.
1.3. Cost of energy
AccordingtoCensus2016,Travellerfamiliesaresignicantlylargerthanthegeneralpopulation,hence
it is reasonable to assume that energy costs will be higher where there are more bodies to heat,
clothes to wash and mouths to feed; furthermore, overcrowding is reported to be common in mobile
home or trailer settings.14 Disability rates among Travellers are also higher than among the population
at large (Census 2016), suggesting that energy costs may be higher where the disability in question
necessitatesextraheat(ifapersonisconnedtothehomeforexampleorperhapsrequiresaspecic
diet). Another factor with potential relevance to cost is nancial exclusion, conventionally referred to as:
8 Census 2016, ibid.
9 Watson, D., Kenny O. and McGinnity, F. (2017). A Social Portrait of Travellers in Ireland. Dublin: Economic and Social
Research Institute.
10 Stamp, S., McMahon, A. and McLoughlin, C. (2017). Left Behind in the Cold? Fuel Poverty, Money Management and
Financial Difculty Among Dublin 10 and 20 MABS Clients: 2013 and 2017. Dublin: Dublin 10 and 20 MABS. Travellers
living in mobile homes/trailers included in this study spent a higher proportion of their income on fuel (21%) than other
respondents.
11 Net household income data are not collated as part of the Census; further, the Survey on Income and Living
Conditions(SILC)conductedannuallydoesnotcollectsufcientdatafromsmallpopulationssuchasTravellers.
12 Nolan, B. and B. Maître (2008). A Social Portrait of Communities in Ireland. Dublin: Department of Social and Family
Affairs, p62.
13CentralStatisticsOfce(2018).SurveyonIncomeandLivingConditions2017.Cork:CentralStatisticsOfce.
14 Watson et al (2017), ibid.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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A process whereby people encounter difculties accessing and/or using nancial services and
products in the mainstream market that are appropriate to their needs and enable them to lead a
normal social life in the society in which they belong.15
Financial exclusion can lead to higher costs where for example people are unable to avail of cheaper
goods and services as a result of lacking access to electronic payment or banking facilities, and are
thereby unable to avail of potentially cheaper online options,16 or to shop around for cheaper products.
It can also result in inability to avail of mainstream, cheaper credit options, and thereby a need to rely
on more expensive, sub-prime or alternative sources. Travellers are known to experience relatively
high levels of nancial exclusion, in respect of banking/payment and credit services particularly;17
given our focus here, the former may impact in terms of higher energy costs, and the latter as regards
inability to afford to purchase sustainable accommodation.18
1.4. Energy efficiency
Unless of residential standard, the energy efciency of mobile homes and trailers is likely to be
signicantlyworsethanhousesorapartments.TheconventionalmeasureinthisregardisaBuilding
Energy Rating or BER,19 which is an energy efciency rating for homes. An enquiry made to the
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEI) for the purposes of this research elicited the response
that a BER is unlikely to apply to mobile homes or trailers as: (i) the associated rating assessment is
conducted using certain assumptions based on building methods /conventions; (ii) that in the case
of mobile homes there are no such assumptions, and (iii) that even the lowest assumption would still
overestimate the BER for mobile homes.20
Littleisknown about the energy efciency of the mobile homes or trailersinwhichmanyTravellers
live, but the MABS research highlighted earlier suggests that accommodation is likely to be reasonably
old(theaverageageofamobile/trailerwas15years),andenergyinefcient(nohomewasinsulated,
although a majority were single-glazed).
15 European Commission, 2008a. Financial Services Provision and Prevention of Financial Exclusion. Brussels:
EuropeanCommission,p9.
16 Internet use is lower than average among Travellers in general (Census 2016) and even more so in relation to those
living in mobile homes/trailers (Watson et al, ibid).
17 Stamp, S. ed. (2011). Issues of Personal Finance within the Traveller Community. Dublin: National Traveller MABS;
Quinn, P. and Ni Ghabhann, N. (2004). Creditable Alternatives: An exploration of new models of affordable savings and
credit options in use worldwide which may be adapted by the Traveller community in Ireland. Dublin: National Traveller
MABS.
18 National Traveller MABS (2018). A Small Scale Study into the Cost of Mobile Homes/Trailers
for the Purpose of Social Housing for Travellers. Dublin: National Traveller MABS;
19 See: https://www.seai.ie/energy-ratings/building-energy-rating-ber/
20 Summary of email exchange and telephone conversations with SEI, November 2018.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
1010
In 2015 alone, it is estimated that
415,000 households beneted
from €208m in payments under
the Fuel Allowance.

11
There are in essence four ‘cross-cutting’ aspects to social policy as
it relates to this particular study. These may be described as: energy
poverty; Traveller accommodation and caravan loan schemes; income
and service supports; and nancial exclusion. We now briey examine
each of these policy dimensions in turn in relation to our study population,
namely Travellers living in mobile homes or trailers.
2.1. National strategy on energy poverty
The key, over-arching national initiative here is the aforementioned National Strategy to Combat Energy
Poverty2016-2019,whichisunderreviewatthetimeofwriting.AspertheMinister’sintroductiontothis
document, the strategy is informed both by the dual need to tackle climate change by moving towards
a low-carbon economy and to improve the living standards and conditions of those experiencing
the phenomenon, estimated to then number around 28% of households according to an objective
methodologyspecicallydevelopedtoinformit.
This strategy builds on its predecessor (2011-2015), and focuses inter alia but particularly on those
with acute health conditions, the private rented sector and facilitating supplier switching to reduce
costs. Although there are repeated references to vulnerable ‘sections of the community’, ‘groups’,
2. Policy Context
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
12
‘consumers’,‘customers’,‘citizens’,and‘themostvulnerableinsociety’,therearenoexplicitreferences
to Travellers,and it is our understanding that specic dimensions relating to those living in mobile
homes or trailers were not envisioned when compiling the strategy.
2.2. Traveller accommodation and caravan loan schemes
As highlighted earlier, only a minority of Travellers (around 12%) currently reside in mobile homes
or trailers, which as a general rule are not provided through the State in contrast to residential
social housing for example; hence, those wishing to avail of this option must acquire their own
(bedroom) accommodation.21 The key social policy instrument in this regard is the Housing (Traveller
Accommodation)Act1998,whichrequireseachlocalauthoritytodevelopandimplementprogrammes
to meet the existing and projected accommodation needs of Travellers in their areas, including by
wayoftheprovisionof‘ofcial’haltingsitesandloansforthosewishingtopurchaseamobileortrailer
(denedin theAct as a‘caravan’).Fundingforsuch programmes isprovidedviatheDepartment of
Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), and it is estimated that over the past ten years,
around 23% of available funding has not been drawn down for various reasons, with distinct regional
divergencesbeingidentiable.22Itshouldbenotedthat‘CaravanLoan’fundingisnotincludedinthe
Traveller accommodation budget, and was launched as a pilot scheme in 2000 by the Department
(DHPLG). 23
Inpractice,thoselivingonofcial/localauthorityhaltingsitesrenta‘bay’fromthelocalauthority,with
charges for this varying between local authorities. Practice around the provision of, and payment for,
electricity also varies.24 As regards caravan loans, a national scheme25 (administered locally) was rolled
out on foot of the legislation, but only 12 of 31 local authorities continue to offer such loans for various
reasons.26 Although there is support in principle for the Scheme among the Traveller community, such
support is tempered by concerns around a number of its features. Perhaps most saliently from the
perspective of this study, the quality of accommodation so purchased is often questionable given
people’slimitedmeans,loanceilings,andlackofassociatedstandards;moreover,issueshavebeen
highlighted around eligibility, access, arrears, and repayment mechanisms.27
2.3. Income and service supports
Thenationalstrategymakesspecicreferencetotheimportanceofincomesupportsingeneral,and
recognises that many of those most vulnerable to the experience of energy poverty are also those most
dependent on social welfare payments, such as many Travellers who rely on social welfare as their
solesourceofincome.Morespecically,itstressestheimportanceoftwoparticularsupportschemes,
namely:the(winter)FuelAllowanceandtheHouseholdBenetsPackage:
21 Day units or day houses are sometimes provided, but the quality of these can vary considerably.
22 See: https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/1106/1009076-travellers-housing-committee/ Funding is available primarily
for‘grouphousing’andhaltingsites;caravanloansarenotincluded.
23 The Housing Agency (2017). Review of the Scheme of Loans and Grants for the Purchase of Caravans by Travellers.
Dublin: The Housing Agency.
24 Harvey, B. and Walsh, K. (2017). Comparative study of how utility provision isadministered and rents collected in
Traveller-specic accommodation in Fingal. Dublin: National Traveller MABS.
25 The National Scheme of Loans and Grants for the Purchase of Caravans for Travellers, introduced in 2000.
26HousingAgency,ibid,p19.
27 National Traveller MABS (2018), ibid.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
13
In 2015 alone, it is estimated that 415,000 households beneted from €208m in payments under
the Fuel Allowance. In the same period, a similar number of households received payments of
€227m under the Household Benets Package.28
Not referenced, however, are the impacts of austerity in the post-Crash years, both in terms of welfare
and service cuts, which have been found to impact disproportionately on Travellers.29 Although welfare
payments have increased in the past few years, core payments remain below 2008 levels, for example
in terms of Child Benet, Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Jobseekers Benet.  Moreover,
income has to be related to the demands upon it, particularly in relation to essential living expenses
includingenergy.PioneeringworkundertakenbytheVincentianPartnershipforSocialJustice(VPSJ)
illustrates that for many household types, the relevant social welfare (and in some cases, minimum
wage) payment is insufcient to enable that household to maintain a Minimum Essential, Standard of
Living (MESL).30However,VPSJresearchalsohighlights the considerable savings on energycosts
thatcanresultfromimprovedBER/energyefciency.31
2.4. Financial inclusion
Policydevelopmentinthenancialinclusionarenahasbeenfairlylimitedinrecentyears,32 although
there are notable exceptions such as the provision of basic bank accounts,33 and development of a
personal micro-credit scheme.34 The national caravan loan scheme referenced earlier is an example
ofamoredirectlyrelevantnancial(credit)inclusioninitiativeinthiscontext,althoughinterestinglyitis
not explicitly categorised as such and perhaps as a consequence, the Scheme contains a number of
decienciesinthisregardastouchedonabove.
Alsorelevanthere,inthecontextof‘providerswitching’isthepolicytrajectorytowards(morebusiness
efcient)electronicpayments,amajordevelopmentinthemidpartofthisdecade.Inarecentwritten
answer to a Parliamentary Question (PQ), the Minister for Finance offered the following summary of
electronic payment developments in recent years:
The National Payments Plan, intended to modernise Ireland’s payment system, was published
in 2013 and covered the period up to 2015. It set out a vision for payments, including universal
acceptance of electronic forms of payment, robust and reliable payment systems, and migration
from cash and cheques to cards and electronic payments…
Under the National Payments Plan, Ireland made signicant progress including full migration to the
Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA)... All of the major banks now issue debit cards, most of them
with contactless capability, and the contactless payment limit is now €30... Stamp duty on debit
cards was reformed with the effect that stamp duty was removed and replaced with a 12c charge
per ATM transaction.
28 Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2016), ibid, p.22.
29 Harvey, B. (2013). ‘Travelling with Austerity’: Impacts of Cuts on Travellers, Traveller Projects and Services. Dublin:
Pavee Point.
30 See: https://www.budgeting.ie/download/pdf/mesl_2018_update_report.pdf
31 http://www.budgeting.ie/images/stories/Publications/Papers/VPSJ_2014_Technical_Paper_-_Minimum_Household_
Energy_Need.pdf
32 Deane, A. (2018). Enabling Citizens, Money Matters: Addressing the Unmet Needs of People Living with Inadequate
Income and Experiencing Financial Exclusion. Dublin: The Wheel.
33 https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/personal_nance/banking/standard_bank_account.html
34 https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/personal_nance/loans_and_credit/microcredit_loans.html

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
14
The measures recommended under the National Payments Plan were designed to ensure that
the payments environment facilitates increased adoption of more efcient payment methods...
The Payment Accounts Directive was transposed in September 2016 and it ensures access to a
payment account with basic features for anyone who does not have a payment account, one of
the recommendations contained in the National Payments Plan.35
High levels of nancial exclusion among Travellers – and low levels of trust in the main nancial
service providers which provide such products, namely banks - have been repeatedly highlighted
ina series of National Travellers MABS’ studies as barriers to availing of such ‘electronic’options.
By way of example, in the local MABS study referenced above, most Traveller clients paid for their
heating in cash using local retail outlets, whilst the (social welfare) Household Budget Scheme was
predominantly used for electricity payments.36 . Further, a rent and utilities combined payment card
system is in operation in some areas.37
35 See: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2018-11-06/204/
36ThepostofceisfrequentlypreferredbyTravellersasthelocusfornancialservices.
37 Harvey and Walsh, ibid.

15
3.1. Research objectives
This study has three objectives, namely:
(i) To identify the extent and nature of energy poverty among Travellers living in mobile homes or
trailers, together with its consequences;
(ii) To identify the extent to which the accommodation itself increases the risk of energy poverty
among the cohort, together with any other associated factors; and,
(iii) To make policy recommendations to address energy poverty in this context from a
Traveller viewpoint.
3.2. Research design and methods
As little is known or understood about experiences of energy poverty in this context, this is very
much an exploratory study. Although broadly descriptive in nature and concerned primarily with lived
experiences, wherever possible, research design endeavours to maximise opportunities to relate the
ndingstopopulationtrends forthepurposesofcomparison.Asdiscussedearlier,ourhypothesisis
that this cohort is likely to experience the phenomenon to a relatively greater extent and depth, hence
theapplicationofadeductiveapproachtoenableusto‘test’thistheory.
National Traveller MABS has always endeavoured to apply a partnership approach to its work, in that
its ethos and modus operandi is to work for change with Travellers and Traveller organisations as
opposed to for them or on their behalf. As a consequence, the research is structured on a participatory
principle, with the research framework, question, objectives and methods designed in conjunction with
Traveller organisations.38 The research question that emerged as a result is as follows:
Is energy poverty a particular issue among Travellers living in mobile homes or trailers and if so,
how does this play out, what factors contribute to it, and how might social policy best respond
within the context of state-recognised Traveller ethnicity?
InputsfromTravellergroupsandworkerswerealsoinvaluableinenablingustocompileandrenea
sensitively structured questionnaire (a copy of which is included in the appendix). As a result of this
collaborative process, it was agreed that the most appropriate interviewer for the purposes of garnering
information would be a Traveller or support worker likely to be trusted by the potential interviewee. In
most areas, this would be a Primary Health Care Worker, while in other locations a representative of a
local Traveller group or MABS Money Adviser was deemed best placed to collect data. As it transpired,
data were collected in respect of ten discrete locations, spread over seven counties.
38 Two meetings were held with representatives of Traveller organisations and Primary Heath Care teams to
scope out the research, and to agree an appropriate research instrument for collecting data (see appendix).
3. Research Objectives
and Methods
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
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Given that this is a cross-sectional study on an issue that is seasonal to a considerable degree, we
decidedtofocustheperiodfordatacollectionoreldworkonthemonthofNovember(2018),whichon
average is neither among the coldest or warmest months.39 Informed consent of potential respondents
was sought by way of established research ethics and once given, data were then collected by personal
interview and responses recorded by hand on the questionnaire itself. All data were anonymised to
ensurecondentiality,andcompletedquestionnaireswerethenforwardedtoNationalTravellerMABS
for collation and analysis by way of a bespoke (excel) database, developed for the purposes of this
research. Although the questionnaire was largely structured in nature, provision was made within it for
the recording of more qualitative information such as explanations or observations; such data were
subsequently coded and analysed using relevant software.
3.3. The Sample
The sensitive nature of the research militated against the selection of a random, representative
sampleofthestudypopulation,hencewedecidedtoaimforamore‘reectivesample’,drawingonthe
experience of Traveller workers and representatives to identify Travellers living in typical circumstances
relative to the cohort under investigation. Our aim was to draw a sample of between n=50 and n=100
(roughly between 5 to 10% of the study population), spread over a range of counties, with each
Traveller group voluntarily participating in the research (a total of eleven) undertaking between 4 to 15
interviews per area; a key consideration here was not to impinge too much on primary commitments
andresponsibilities. The nal sampleamounted to n=65Travellerhouseholds,the accommodation
proleofwhichissummarisedinTable1below.40
TABLE 1: SAMPLE BY ACCOMMODATION TYPE
Accommodation type Number of households
Mobile 43
Trailer 18
Mobile and hut40 2
Mobile and trailer 1
Chalet 1
TOTAL 65
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
39 See: https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/ireland/dublin/climate
40Thisissometimesreferredtoasa“dayunit”,providedbylocalauthoritiesaspartofanofcialbay;therewere
n=21 main occupants of such bays within the sample, and we presume for the purpose of analysis that each of these
householdshadaccesstosuchaunitor“hut”,althoughweunderstandthatsizeandqualitycanvarybetweensites.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
17
As can be seen, the majority (around 70%) live in larger multiple-roomed mobiles, which means that
there is more space to heat; the predominance of this type of accommodation also relates to household
size, with respondent households being considerably larger than the general population average.
Whereas average household size for the general population is 2.75 persons (Census 2016), among
oursamplethisnumberrisesto3.89persons(2.00adultsand1.89children),whichis41% higher than
average.Thespecichouseholdcompositionoffamiliesinterviewediscategorisedbelow(Table2);as
shown, n=42 households (almost 65%) contained children,41 with the vast majority of these (n=36 or
86%)containingtwoormore.Thisisanimportantndinggiventheextent,natureandconsequences
ofenergypovertyamongthecohortdiscussedindetailinthesubstantivendings’sectionsbelow. 42 4344
TABLE 2: HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION OF SAMPLED HOUSEHOLDS
Household composition Number of households
1 adult, 0 children 8
1 adult + 1 child 0
1 adult + 2 children 3
1 adult + 3 children 1
2 adults + 0 children 12
2 adults + 1 child 5
2 adults + 2 children 14
2 adults + 3 children 3
2 adults + 4 children 6
2 adults + 5 or more children42 5
3 adults + 1 or more children43 3
Other44 5
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
From preliminary discussions with representatives from Traveller groups, it became clear that caravan
living is a far from homogenous or uniform experience, and we therefore wished to reect this
heterogeneity or diversity within the sample. By way of example, Table 3 illustrates the differing types
oflocationswithinwhichrespondentsreside;althoughthemajority(n=40or61%)livein“authorised”
locations, most of the remainder (n=20 or 31%)45 appear to be living in “unauthorised locations”,
including in n=10 cases, at the roadside.
41 Aged under 18 at the time of interview.
42Twohouseholdscontainedvechildren,onecontainedsixchildren,anothereightchildren,andthenalone
comprised nine children.
43 Oneofthesehouseholdscontainedonechild,anothertwochildren,andthenalonecomprisedfourchildren.
44 One family contained three adults and no children, two contained four adults and no children, another contained four
adultsandtwochildren,andthenalhouseholdcontainedeightadultsandtwochildren.
45 Inthreeinstances,locationwasnotspeciedintheseterms.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
18
TABLE 3: LOCATION OF MOBILE HOMES OR TRAILERS
Location Number of respondent households
Authorised (permanent) halting site 31
Roadside 10
Unauthorised site 10
Authorised (temporary) halting site 9
Other 246
Not stated 3
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Such distinctions, however, do not necessarily give the full picture; in some cases for example, people
living in unauthorised locations appear to be permitted to live there,46 while others although living on
authorised sites were unauthorised to be in the particular yard or bay in question. There was a fairly
even spilt within the sample between those reporting that they were the main occupier of the bay or
yard where they lived (n=31) and those who said they were not (n=34). When we correlate these things
from the data as provided, our sample breaks down as follows:47
Main occupiers:
Main occupier on an authorised site (n=21)
Main occupier but on an unauthorised site (n=7)
Mainoccupierbutinsufcientdetailresitestatus(n=3)
Non-main occupiers
Not main occupier but on an authorised site (n=20)46
Not main occupier and on an unauthorised site (n-3)
Notmainoccupierbutinsufcientdetailresitestatus(n=1)
Living at the roadside (n=10)
Advance consultations with Traveller groups and support workers also indicated group living and
sharing of energy (sources and costs particularly) to be a feature of life in mobile home or trailer
accommodation.Our sample clearly reects thislived experience, in that amajority (n=40 or 61%)
answered“yes”whenaskedif they were sharing a yard, bay or area with other family members: in
addition, the responses from a further n=15 interviewees suggested that they were also engaged in
group living, which would bring the total to n=55 or 85% of the sample (Table 4).
46Onefamilywaslivingwithfamilyoncouncilproperty(itwasnotspeciedwhetherthiswasauthorisedornot),the
other(unauthorised)intheyardoftheirparents’localauthorityhouse.
47 There were two reports of families renting a bathroom/utility unit from the local authority although ostensibly living on
an unauthorised site.
46 There were two references to overcrowding within these responses, both in respect of authorised halting sites (one
permanent and one temporary).
47
48
48

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
19
TABLE 4: EXTENT OF GROUP LIVING48 49 50
Other family sharing yard/bay/site Number of respondent households
Yes 40
No 1949
Sharing but not with family 1
Not stated 550
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
3.4. Study limitations
Seekinginformationonpeople’spersonalnancesiswidelyacknowledgedtobeaparticularlysensitive
area for social research, and on balance, we formed the view that people trusted by those being
interviewed(asopposedtoindependentstrangers)wouldfacilitate ‘richer’datagatheringingeneral.
The trade off was that people might be less willing to provide information on the personal nance
dimensions of energy poverty - particularly household income – to those that they know, and this indeed
proved to be the case; nonetheless, as so many respondents and their families are social welfare
dependent,weareabletoimputerelevantincomeguresfromhouseholddemographicdescriptions.51
We had also hoped to commission a small number of Building Energy Ratings (BER) of mobiles or
caravansforthesakeofcomparisonwith‘settled’accommodation,butthisprovedtobeunfeasiblefor
reasons described earlier. Finally, while our sample covers seven counties located in three provinces,
we were unable to broaden it further for logistical reasons as discussed above.
3.5. Presentation of findings
In the sections that follow, we take each of the three core dimensions to energy poverty in turn and then
examine the collective consequences. We begin in Section 4 by setting the scene by describing the
extent of energy poverty within the sample and its constituent groups, before examining the underlying
but related issues of income inadequacy and nancial exclusion, and how these combine to leave
peoplelittlechoicebuttoacquirerelativelyoldandoftenenergyinefcientaccommodation.InSection
5, we turn to the accommodation itself and examine how external defects contribute to poor internal
conditions and energy loss. In Section 6, we focus on the management, use and costs of energy, and
on the multiplicity of sources used to provide power depending on location and circumstances. We
then explore the various consequences of energy poverty for the families concerned in Section 7,
concentratingon thoserelatingtohealth,safetyandnancial difculty,beforeconcludingwithsome
overall observations and policy recommendations in Section 8.
49Inn=9ofthesecases,therewereindicationsthatrespondentswere‘groupliving’withothers,althoughitmaybethat
these were not always family members. In each of these cases, again indications were that respondents were living with
othersina‘group’setting.
50Ineachofthesecases,againindicationswerethatrespondentswerelivingwithothersina‘group’setting.
51 MABS money advisers participating in the study also assisted us in this regard.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
2020
The risk of poverty of study
respondents is ve times that
of the general population.

21
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
4. Income, Financial Exclusion and
Energy Poverty
In this section, we rst present our ndings in relation to the extent or
incidence of energy poverty among the sampled households. We then
examine how low-income and poverty combines with nancial exclusion
to form a barrier to the purchase of affordable, sustainable homes, thereby
providing an underlying context for the heightened experience of energy
poverty among Travellers living in mobile homes and trailers.
4.1. Extent of energy poverty
We begin by comparing our sample with three conventionally accepted indicators of energy poverty, namely:
(i) Going without heat through lack of money;
(ii) Inability to keep the household warm as cannot afford it;
(iii) Spending more than 10 percent of net household income on energy.
Going without heat and inability to keep the home warm
In respect of the rst two indicators, respondents were asked identical questions to those posed
bytheCentralStatisticsOfceinitsannualSurveyson Income and Living Expenses (SILC).52 The
comparative responses are shown in Table 5 below:
TABLE 5: GOING WITHOUT HEAT AND INABILITY TO KEEP THE HOME WARM
Sample
(%)
Population- 2017
(%)
Went without heat 72.3
(n=47)
8.1
Inability to keep the
household warm
60.0
(n=39)
4.4
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
52 The most recent data relate to 2017. See: https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-silc/
surveyonincomeandlivingconditionssilc2017/povertyanddeprivation/

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
22
Travellers living in mobiles or trailers are therefore around nine times as likely to go without heat as
the population at large, and it should be noted that in all but two cases, respondents who went without
heatthroughlackofmoneydidsomorethanonce.Perhapsmorestriking,however,isthendingthat
respondents were almost fourteen times more likely to be unable to keep their household warm, as
they could not afford to do so. A further n=7 respondents also reported inability to do so for some other
reason (broken windows were cited in one instance).53 Further insights are gleaned from the qualitative
commentaries recorded for some of these responses; these refer to a range of exacerbating factors as
illustrated below, and we will return to such themes in later sections of this report:
Reasons cited for being unable to keep warm
Age of caravan;
Because the trailer is too old and cannot keep the heat in.
It’s very old and very hard to heat
Exterior issues;
There is a draft from the windows as they are made from tin.
We lose heat every time the door is open, the caravan loses heat due
to lack of insulation as well.
The roof is gone, and the oor.
Interior issues;
It’s hard to keep more than one room warm at a time, there are no heaters
in the bedrooms so the doors are left opened to allow the heat go in.
It’s old and battered needs repair… the heating stove needs xed.
Weather and climate;
It’s too hard, fuel is too dear, the weather is too cold.
Sometimes in the winter, the oil tank can freeze as it is so cold outside, the
pipes also freeze
Financial exclusion;
All adults in the family are on social welfare, coming up to a payment day
they may need to borrow to buy bottle gas. Sometimes there is no one to
borrow from.
Well if I run out of gas and it is a day I don’t get paid, I have to wait
We borrow fuel from relatives when extra is needed and money is short.
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
53 A total of 10 respondents (15.4% of the sample) responded that a combination of affordability and other reasons
meant that they could not keep their household warm.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
23
A third, conventionally used measure of energy poverty is a situation where a household spends more
than ten percent of net income on energy costs.54 As shown in Table 6 below, the majority of households
(n=50 or 77%) were in energy poverty on the ten percent measure. The average spend on energy was
26.1% (median) and 28.0% (mean); this is around ve to six times higherthanthecorrespondinggure
of4.6% for the population asa whole according to ofcialstatistics,55 and higher than the average
percentage(21.0%) identied in theMABSstudydiscussedearlier.Itwas noticeable - andperhaps
paradoxical - that larger families spent a lesser percentage of income on energy than smaller ones, a
discrepancy explained to a large degree by the receipt of higher social welfare payments in such cases
withinthecontextofahighlywelfare-dependentsampleandconnedlivingspaces.
TABLE 6: PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME SPENT ON ENERGY
Income spent on energy (%) No of respondent households
0-10 5
11-20 12
21-30 22
31-40 5
41-50 5
51-60 5
61-70 1
Notidentiable 10
Average (mean) 28.0%
Average (median) 26.1%
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
What is noticeable, however, is the difference in energy-spend as a percentage of income between
householdswho are themain or ofcial occupants of an authorised site, those who ‘group live’ on
suchsites but not as main or ofcialoccupants, families on unauthorised sites, and thoseliving at
theroadside (Table7).Whereasamongmainorofcialoccupantsthis gurewasbelow thesample
average56 and broadly in line with earlier MABS research, it was noticeably higher among those who
werenotthemain or ofcial occupants, and particularlysofor those living at the roadside whereit
amounted to well over 40% of income.
54 Energy costs among the sample are discussed in depth in Section 6 below.
55CentralStatisticsOfce(2017).HouseholdBudgetSurvey2015-2016.Cork:CentralStatisticsOfce.http://www.cso.
ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-hbs/hbs20152016/hexp/
56 We strongly suspect the reason is related to receipt of the Winter Fuel Allowance.
of households
were in energy
poverty
The average spend on
energy as a percentage of
income amongst this group
wasvetimesthatofthe
general population
77%
77%

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
24
TABLE 7: PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME SPENT ON ENERGY BY
OCCUPANCY STATUS
Income spent on
energy (%)
Main occupant-
authorised site
(n=21)
Not main
occupant,
authorised site
(n=20)
Living on
unauthorised
sites
(n=10)
Living at the
roadside
(n=10)
0-10 4 0 0 0
11-20 5 5 0 1
21-30 8 8 2 2
31-40 1 2 2 1
41-50 0 2 1 2
51-60 0 1 0 4
61-70 0 1 0 0
Not identifable 3 1 5 0
Mean spend (%) 19.9 28.7 33.2 42.5
Median spend (%) 19.2 25.8 30.4 46.6
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
4.2. Household income
As discussed in the Introduction, low income is a key determinant of energy poverty, and as expected,
both household and individualised57incomeswere signicantly lower than the respective population
averages. This is largely explained by the almost universal dependency on social welfare among the
sample,with(n=61or94%)ofrespondentscitingasocialwelfarepaymentastheirmainsourceof
income. As a consequence, household incomes were around 40% below average, and individualised
incomes around half the national median (Table 8).
57 In line with CSO methodology, the equivalence scale used to individualise income is: 1.00 (for the household head).
0.66 (for each additional adult within the household) and 0.33 (for each child within the household). Thus 66% of
household income is assigned to each extra adult within it, and 33% of household income to each child. So a household
with2adultsand3childrenissaidtocomprise2.65“equivalisedadults”.
The risk of poverty of
study respondents is
vetimesthatofthe
general population
!

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
25
TABLE 8: AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD AND INDIVIDUALISED INCOMES: SAMPLE v POPULATION
Sample
(€)
Population
(€)
Average Household Income
(median)
452.62 759.59
Average Individualised Income
(median)
197.74 401.32
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Interviews were conducted in November, hence those entitled to the winter fuel allowance (€22.50
payable for 28 weeks from October),58 were already receiving this payment in addition to their regular
weekly social welfare entitlement. To give an accurate cross-sectional picture of income and thereby
energy poverty, we count this allowance in full within our weekly net income calculations, as opposed
to spreading it over a full year i.e. dividing the total received (€630) by 52 (weeks).
4.3. Poverty
Low equivalised or individualised disposable income is also highly correlated with the experience of
poverty,andthisisevidentamongoursampledhouseholds.Thepovertyline–or“atriskofpoverty”
gure–onthemostrecentCSO/SILCdataavailable(2017)is€240.79perweek.Ascanbeseenin
Table9below,onlyn=4householdswerenot at risk of poverty; the majority, however were below the
poverty line, and in many cases by a considerable margin. Put another way, the risk of poverty for study
respondents is around ve times that of the general population at large.
TABLE9:ATRISKOFPOVERTYCOMPARISON:SAMPLEvPOPULATION
Sample (%) Population (%)
Below the poverty line 83.1
(n=54)
15.7
Above the poverty line 6.1
(n=4)
84.3
Notidentiable 10.8
(n=7)
N/A
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
58 See: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benets/
fuel_allowance.html

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
26
When we examine the income distribution in a little more detail (Table 10), we see that not only are
the vast majority of respondents below the poverty line, many are considerably below it, with a notable
grouping in the minus 11-20% income bracket. Tackling energy poverty in this context, therefore,
requires policy to address not just cost and accommodation issues as discussed below, but also the
underlying inadequacy of resource factor.59
TABLE 10: INCOME RELATIVE TO THE POVERTY LINE
Percentage above or below Number of respondents
+0-10% 1
+10-20% 1
+ more than 20% 2
Poverty line Poverty line
-0-10% 2
-11-20% 42
- more than 20% 10
Notidentiable 7
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
4.4. Payment/banking exclusion
Lowincomeandpoverty are concepts closely correlatedwithnancialexclusion and there are two
identiabledimensionstothisasexperiencedbyTravellerslivinginmobilehomesortrailers,namely:
payment/banking exclusion and credit exclusion. Although the second is arguably and fundamentally
muchmoreimportantasacontributortoenergypoverty,toaidtheowofthenarrativewedealwith
thepaymentdimensionrst.
Payment/banking exclusion
TheimportanceofpaymentorbankingexclusiontoTravellersandothergroupssignicantlyaffected
by it, is that it limits choice - both in terms of payment method and in certain instances, service provider
– and invariably leads to the incurring of higher costs as a result.60 Although a range of payment
methods exists within Irish society, primarily through the banking system but increasingly outside of
it,61whatisstrikingaboutoursampleishowrarelypeoplewereusingnancialservicesofanysortto
pay for energy. This is starkly illustrated in Table 11 (it should be noted that these responses are not
mutually exclusive):
59 As discussed later in the policy recommendations section, broadening the scope of the winter Fuel Allowance and
being more creative around Exceptional Needs Payments (ENP) and Exceptional Supplements would undoubtedly
alleviate energy poverty for many living in mobiles or trailers. Addressing the inequality of resource issue among
Travellers in general, however, requires a much more fundamental and systemic longer-term approach.
60 See for example: https://www.independent.ie/business/personal-nance/the-top-energy-deals-that-could-save-you-
thousands-on-your-bill-36290435.html
61 By way of digital companies.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
27
TABLE 11: METHOD OF PAYMENT USED FOR ENERGY 62
Method/facility Yes (used) No (not used) Not stated
Cash 58 3 4
Prepayment meter 19 43 3
Postofce 11 51 3
Other 2 59 4
Online/Internet 0 62 3
Electronic/card 0 62 3
Cheque 0 62 3
Household Budget Scheme
(HBS)62
0 62 3
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
The high use of cash is partly explained by respondents who are not the main occupant of the bay or
yard paying a contribution for energy to the person who is:
I pay it off my mother’s bill, sometimes I give her the money
I pay my aunty 20 per week towards electricity
I give my family member some money for my electricity
Cashuse is also linked towidespreadrelianceonvarious“top-up” energy sources (suchasbottled
gas, diesel, petrol, solid fuel and turf), and their periodic replenishment from local shops and other
outlets such as garages.
We get turf in the shop
I buy fuel in the local shop
Theuseofprepaymentmetersbyaround30%ofthesample(n=19)reectsanenergytrendidentied
by MABS among its service clients,63 and may also be explained in some cases by local authorities
acting as de facto energy providers and collecting energy payments in this manner (either independently
of rent or in conjunction with rent), although our understanding is that this practice is becoming less
common.64 We are unable us to distinguish between energy supplier and local authority-provided
meters from the responses given, but the following quotes give a sense of how these meters work on
the ground:
I buy €20 per week on electricity card
We use electric and rent cards
I buy electric cards from the council caretaker on site
62 One respondent did however report paying their electricity arrears through social welfare, and it may be that this was
through the Household Budget Scheme.
63 See Stamp , McMahon and McLoughlin, ibid, p32-35.
64 Harvey and Walsh, ibid, p34.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
28
Postofceswereusedalmostexclusivelybythoselivingon ofcial (permanent or temporary) sites
and again, by a mix of main occupiers and those who were not. We presume that payments made in
this manner were exclusively or primarily in respect of electricity. In contrast, given the public policy
drive towards encouraging use of electronic and online forms of payment predominantly for reasons of
efciency,itisstrikingthatno one within our cohort reported using either of these methods of payment.
Finally, hardly any evidence emerged of respondents using the Household Budget Scheme for energy
payments despite the high level of welfare dependency among them; it is perhaps ironic that the main
nancialinclusionpaymentmeasureintroducedbygovernmentovertwentyyearsagoforjustthistype
of cohort, has proved to be of little or no use to those in the most marginalised of situations.
4.5. Credit exclusion and energy inefficient homes
The second dimension to nancial exclusion relates more to the consequences of market failure,
which manifests itself in credit exclusion or inability to access and use appropriate borrowing sources
to purchase conventional needs such as accommodation. Across our sample, this inability led directly
tothepurchaseoracquirementofwhatwas-orhasnowbecome-energyinefcientaccommodation,
which in turn contributes to and compounds energy poverty as discussed in Sections 5 and 6 below.
As envisaged, several interviewees were understandably reluctant to discuss how they came to
possess their current accommodation. Nonetheless, responses to questions on this issue illustrate
credit exclusion to be prevalent among respondents. The overwhelming majority (n=59 or 91%)65
reported that they owned their accommodation, and some (n=35) provided further details in terms of
the borrowing source as follows (Table 12).
TABLE 12: BORROWING SOURCE FOR MOBILE HOMES AND TRAILERS
Source Number of respondents
(n=35)
Family member 25
Credit union 3
Other 3
Council 2
Moneylender 2
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Our sense is that the citing of ‘family member’ as a borrowing source may in fact refer to the
accommodation being ‘gifted’ by a family member, as opposed to a respondent borrowing from
them.Afurtherquarter(n=19)reportedthattheydidnotborrowatalltopurchasetheirhome,many
again perhaps having acquired it from another family member or Traveller. What is clear is that very
few accessed a loan from a regulated source or borrowed by way of the caravan loan scheme, while
the use of a moneylender in two instances is of marked concern, particularly were this to prove an
unlicensed source. The ndings thus again highlight widespread nancial exclusion and lack of
65 In three instances, respondents were renting (presumably from the relevant local authority) and there were three no
responses.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
29
accesstoaffordablecreditamongTravellers,andtheneedtodevelopculturallyappropriatenancial
inclusion measures.
The upshot of credit exclusion, coupled with the various deciencies described earlier in terms of
the national caravan loan scheme, is that many people wishing to live in a nomadic or group setting
in accordance with Traveller culture have little option but to purchase cheaper, older, sub-standard
mobiles or trailers, or to rely on second-hand versions gifted by relatives. The result of this is that such
homestendtobeenergyinefcient,anditistothisissuethatwenowturninSection5.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
3030
The average spend on energy as
a percentage of income amongst
this group was ve times that of
the general population.

31
In this Section, we rst describe the age of the mobiles and trailers in which
respondents reside, together with the amount of time people have lived in
their current accommodation. The poor condition of the accommodation
in general is then examined, together with the impacts of this in terms of
challenging living conditions.
5.1. Age of accommodation
Justoverhalfofthoseinterviewed(n=36)providedanestimateastotheageoftheirhomewhenasked
specicallyaboutit;inmostothercases(n=25),intervieweesrepliedthattheydidnotknow.66 Among
those who did respond, the age distribution of mobile homes and trailers is as follows (Table 13):
TABLE 13: AGE OF ACCOMMODATION AT THE TIME OF INTERVIEW
Age in years Number of respondents (n=36)
0-5 0
5-10 11
11-15 13
16-20 6
21-25 3
26-30 1
30+ 2
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
The majority are thus over 10 years old and a third date back more than 15 years: the average age of
accommodation is around 15 years (15.5 mean, 15.0 median).67 We then asked people how long they
had lived in their present accommodation (Table 14). The vast majority (n=62)68 had not actually lived
there for very long relative to the age of their accommodation. The median residence period was 4.0
years and the mean 4.85; around a third had lived in their present home for two years or less.
66 n n=2 instances, respondents preferred not to say, and there were two non responses.
67InlinewiththendingsofthepreviousMABSstudy,ibid.
68Tworespondentspreferrednottosay,andonedidnotgiveagure.
5. Accommodation and
Energy Loss
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
32
TABLE 14: PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN CURRENT ACCOMMODATION
Years Number of respondents (n=62)
1-2 23
3-4 9
5-6 8
7-8 11
9-10 7
More than 10 4
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Thesendingstendtocorroborateourearlierobservationthatlackofmoneyandavailabilityofcredit
results in people purchasing previously owned accommodation, which transpires to be relatively old; in
only two cases was a respondent living in a home which they had acquired from new (in one instance
the accommodation was seven years old, and in another, ten). The result for many is both energy
inefcient–andoftenunhealthy-livingconditionsasdescribedbelow.
5.2. Repairs and replacement
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the age and type of accommodation in question, the vast majority
of respondents (n=50 or 77%) reported their home to be in need of repair. Probing further into the
specicsofthis,thefollowingpictureemerges(Table15):69
TABLE 15: NEED FOR REPAIR TO ACCOMMODATION
Item in question Yes
(needs repair)
No
(does not need repair)
Windows 38 21
Doors 37 22
Roof 25 34
Floor 21 38
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
What is particularly striking about the responses here is that a combination of repairs is needed in
manyinstances.Atotalofn=39homes(66%ofthoseforwhichwehavedetail)requiremultiplerepairs
accordingtotheiroccupants,andinn=14cases(almostaquarter),windows,doors,roofandoorall
need repair (Table 16).
69There were no responses to this section from n=6 respondents.
experience condensation often
72.3%

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
33
TABLE 16: NUMBER OF ITEMS NEEDING REPAIR
Number of items for repair Number of homes (n=59)
0 14
1 6
2 16
39
4 14
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Again, some of the qualitative commentaries paint a fairly vivid picture in this regard:
Air gets through the windows and doors, if we get heavy rain it comes through the windows.
Everything is too old, it’s just falling apart
Roof is leaking, windows are draughty, the oor has gone damp… the trailer does not hold heat
really at all
The skylight is leaking
The back windows are old and need replacing, the front door is broken so does not lock anymore
The timber door is rotten and the seal is bad on the door
The windows are not air tight, the oors are rotten in some places
The wind comes in under the seating areas in the bathroom
The window is broken and there’s a constant breeze
It’s too old to repair
The latter situation, where the accommodation itself really needs replacing, appears more the norm
rather than the exception. When asked ‘does your home need replacement’, over two thirds of
respondents (n=44 or 68%) replied that it does. Again, several took the opportunity to elaborate a little
more here, and it emerged that the main reasons for replacement are as follows:
Unsuitability for a
growing family
Safety Issues
Damage (e.g.
caused by leaks)
Repairs would
outweigh the value
of the mobile
Need for
more space
Dampness

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
34
The situation had clearly become desperate for some:
There is no working bathroom… which means they have to ask friends to allow them use their
bathroom, the children aged 6 and 7 sometimes need to wee outside behind their mobile,
if neighbours are out they have no option.
Even where some form of credit may be accessible, the very experience of borrowing and repayment
may be off-putting for some and thereby act as a barrier to replacement, as in this instance:
The lady undertaking this interview says the whole mobile unit needed to be replaced but she did
not want to borrow again as it took so long to repay their last loan for their home.70
5.3. Insulation and weather glazing
As shown in Table 17, the majority of homes were not insulated.71Thendingthataround1in6(n=11)
did not know whether their home was insulated or not, suggests that raising public awareness around
energy conservation in halting sites may be a useful exercise to consider.72 Conversely, in the vast
majority of cases, accommodation was glazed73 with single-glazing being by far the most common
type. However, issues also arose here; two respondents referred to their windows being plastic, and a
furtherrespondentmadereferencetotheirmobile‘havingonlyonepaneofglass’.
TABLE 17: INSULATION AND WEATHER GLAZING OF ACCOMMODATION
Yes No Don’t know
Insulated 9
(13.8%)
45
(69.2%)
11
(17.0%)
Type of glazing74 Single Double Double and Single
50 8 2
74
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
70 This was a loan from a credit union.
71AndinginlinewithpreviousMABSresearchcitedabove.
72 In eight of these eleven cases, the respondent lived on an authorised site.
73 Again, in line with earlier MABS research.
74Thereweren=3‘don’tknows’,n=1‘no’,andnodetailwasrecordedintheremaininginstance.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
35
5.4. Condensation
Thecombinationofsingleglazedwindowsandsub-standardconditionofrespondents’homesresulted
in frequent references to “coldness” and “dampness”, and widespread dissatisfaction with present
living conditions was palpable:
We have condensation coming down the windows… this leads us to have to keep going to our GP
Fed up with damp and water running down the windows
Single glaze causes dampness
It gets so cold and damp, the water leaks through
Very cold and damp in the winter time
Cold condensation in windows and doors
Experience of condensation was particularly widespread (Table 18). As might be expected, respondents
reported that this was associated (although not exclusively) with winter-time, cold weather and
mornings in particular; opening the windows to address it made the interior colder, caused energy
loss and thereby increased both energy use and cost. Dampness was also prevalent - there were
references to it in 80% of cases - and this was affecting not just the interior but clothes and bedding,
again presumably necessitating increased expense in terms of drying and replacement. There were
alsosomereferencestomould(n=9),andoccasionallyasregardsrottingwood(n=3).Inoneinstance,
arespondentmadereferencetotheneedtorepaint“acoupleoftimesayear”,henceaddedexpense
was once more incurred, further highlighting the additional costs sometimes incurred by those who can
least afford them.
TABLE 18: EXPERIENCE OF CONDENSATION
Yes Number of respondents
Condensation 55
(84.6%)
Condensation often 47
(72.3%)
Damp 52
(80.0%)
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
36
5.5. Ventilation
Ventilationissues also transpired to be prevalent, with 60% of respondents(n=39) making specic
mention of it. The qualitative observations are once again useful in throwing light on how this problem
plays out on a daily basis within the home. Poor or non-existent ventilation was linked particularly to
broken vents, having to choose between fresh air and keeping warm, and tackling vermin problems.
The vents that are there are letting in the cold because we can’t close them, this means we have
no control over what air gets into the caravan
It’s blocked up because of rats75
We have air vents that don’t shut- so we block them in winter with foam
We have them blocked up because of rats and mice
Had to block up due to the cold
There’s too much ventilation at times in the cold weather, we have to stuff the vents with paper to
keep warm
The windows in the kitchen don’t open, steam from cooking causes problems
All the vents are blocked up to keep in the heat… they can cause the mobile to steam up
Thepicture presented in this sectionillustrates how the forcedacquisition of energy inefcientand
deterioratingaccommodationinturnleadstoextremelydifcultlivingconditions.Beforewediscuss
theadverseconsequences that follow from this (in Section7),werstcompleteourexaminationof
thecontributoryfactorstoenergypovertybyaddressingthethirdandnaldimension,namelyenergy
management and cost.
75 In n=6 cases, respondents cited rats to be the reason for blocking ventilation.

37
We have already seen how inadequate income, poverty, nancial exclusion
and the consequent acquirement of sub-standard, energy inefcient
accommodation combine to create the context within which energy poverty
arises. In this section, we explore the energy management, use and cost
dimensions to the phenomenon. As outlined above, the condition of the
accommodation itself can have cost implications including in terms of
energy loss, but the ways in which power is sourced and used are also
important in terms of expense, and we begin here by exploring energy
types and how they are utilised, before concluding with an analysis of how
these things combine to increase cost.
6.1.Sources of power
Fiveprincipalpowersourcesareidentiableamongthesample,withcombinationscommonlyusedby
respondents. Beginning with the relatively least used, these sources are as follows:
(i) Home heating oil;
Thiswas used asaheatsourceinjust n=9 instances76.Usewasnotconned to any onecategory,
and users were spread across main occupants and non-main occupants, those living on permanent
and temporary authorised sites, people on unauthorised sites, and families living at the roadside. Our
sense is that these situations may involve use of central heating, as there were sporadic references
to radiators.
(ii) Diesel/Petrol Generator
A diesel or petrol generator was used to provide power in n=15 cases, the majority of whom were living
at the roadside (all ten families). The commentaries in these circumstances explain to a large extent
why such households are considerably more at risk of energy poverty as described earlier:
A shared petrol generator among 4 families, 8 adults and 9 kids
4 families share 1 generator in a yard at the roadside
1 petrol generator shared by 2 families, self rigged up
A diesel generator is shared by four families
76 In n=2 cases, it was used for hot running water.
6. Energy Management:
Sources, Use and Costs
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
38
We use a petrol generator but it costs a lot to run, from day to day it can be very expensive
Very hard to keep the generator going on petrol
Sometimes we have to sit in the dark because there’s no money for petrol
Petrol generator, we use a battery light sometimes when the generator is out of petrol.
Althoughnotspecicallycited,wepresumetransportcostswouldalsobeincurredhereinrespectof
‘topping-up’petrolanddieselsupplies.
(iii) Logs, coal or sticks;
This was a more common power source, used by over 40% of respondents (n=28 or 43%) for heat, but
by just n=7 for cooking and n=7 for hot running water. In a small number of cases, this source was used
both for heat and these other purposes,77 but the majority using this power source did so for the sole
purposeofheat(n=19).Althoughtherewasevidenceofuseacrosscategories,itwasmostprevalent
among households living at the roadside, all of which used this energy source, most notably in stoves.
(iv) Electricity
A majority of respondents (n=50 or 77%) reported using electricity as an energy source for at least one
purpose, with the vast majority of these (n=44) using electricity as a light source.78 This sub-cohort was
in turn fairly evenly split between main occupiers (n=24) and non-main occupiers (n=20), the majority
of whom (n=17) were recorded as being resident on an authorised site. It follows from this that the bulk
of the sample using electricity was doing so either directly or indirectly via the supply to the relevant
bay provided through the local authority, or by way of a connection to a house with the mobile or trailer
situated in proximity to it.
Use family member’s supply
Three families are connected to one supply
There’s a connection to the mobile
My father has electricity supply for his yard so we use that
We’re connected to the main house
Connected to a shed connected to my mother’s house
There are potential safety issues here, to which we will return in the next section. What is clear is that
use of electricity supply is far from conventional where the norm is for a commercial power company
to supply power directly to a household and to bill it directly. As already discussed, the way electricity
isaccessed militatesagainst“shoppingaround”as envisagedwithinpublicpolicy,a pointsuccinctly
captured by this interviewer:
77 Logs, sticks or coal were used in n=4 cases for heat and cooking, in n=3 cases for heat and hot running water, and in
n=2 cases for all three purposes.
78 Other reported uses of electricity were for doing laundry (n=35), for heat (n=33) for cooking (n=21) and hot running
water (n=21).

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
39
There was a pre-pay card meter installed before the family moved into this bay so there was
no option for choosing supplier
In contrast, n=15 households were not using electricity at all, a situation experienced by all ten families
living by the roadside.79
(v) Gas bottles
A more utilised power source than any of the above, gas bottles were used as a power source by the
vast majority for cooking (n=54 or 83%) and heating (n=46 or 71%), generally in combination, and to
a lesser extent for hot running water (in n=14 or 21% of cases). Bottled gas was used by all types of
households whatever their occupancy status or location, including by every family living at the side of
theroad.Aswithdieselandpetrol,transportcostswouldpresumablybeinvolvedinrellinggasbottles.
6.2. Heating appliances
As might be expected, given the number and interplay of power sources described above, a range of
applianceswasusedforheatinginparticular.Amongthosespecicallycited,oftenincombination,are
the following:
Heating
Giventhe focus of this research, we askeda specic question of respondents in termsof heating,
namely:“Areanyofyourheatingdevicesenergyefcient?”Therepliesagainsuggestthatapublic
awareness or community education exercise of some description may be useful here, given that so
fewanswered“yes”(Table19).
79 A key informant working with Travellers made the point that the related lack of a fridge or freezer necessitates daily
food and grocery shopping, which again can add expense.
Gas bottle heater
Electric heater
Radiators
Oil heater
Fan heater
Gasre
Solid fuel stove
Cooker (used also for heat)
Parafnoilheater

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
40
TABLE19:ENERGYEFFICIENCY:HEATINGAPPLIANCES
Devices energy efcient Number of respondents
Yes 3
(4.6%)
No 34
(52.3%)
Don’tknow 26
(40.0%)
Not stated 2
(3.1%)
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Akeyfactorinenergyefciencyisthecondition ofthedevices orappliancesin question.Weasked
specicallyaboutthreeofthesethatTravellerworkersinTravellerorganisationsandrepresentatives
had“agged” in advance, relating toboth cooking and heating; asshown in Table20 below,these
facilities frequently required attention. 80
TABLE 20: NEED FOR REPAIR TO APPLIANCES
Item in question Yes
(needs repair)
No
(does not need repair)
Oven 20
(30.8%)
39
(60.0%)
Stove 19
(29.3%)
40
(61.5%)
Heating system 36
(55.4%)
23
(35.4%)
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
80 There were no responses to this section from n=6 respondents.
The average spend per
week by respondents on
energy was €108

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
41
6.3. Running water
Use of energy is also dictated to a considerable degree by the availability of running water (and
particularly hot running water) for personal hygiene, toilet facilities, drinking and doing laundry. A
majority of respondents (n=38 or 58.5%) did not have access to hot running water, and in n=14 of
these cases (21.5% of the sample), respondents (unprompted) stated that they had no access to
running water at all. If we add on the n=3 roadside families who did not volunteer this information
but presumably also have no running water access, the striking conclusion is that over a quarter of
households interviewed for this study lacked access to running water. Among this latter group, water
was accessed in various ways:
Use parents’ home for hot water and for washing
The trailer is not connected to any facilities… use mother’s house for showers, washing and toilet
Trailer is not connected to the water main, I use a bucket to bring in water to cook and clean,
I use my aunty’s house for a shower or a bath
There’s no running water at all, we get water in tanks or buy water in the shops
Have to get a bottle of water to bring home to use
Among the respondents who informed us that they did have access to hot running water, things were
not always necessarily straightforward either in terms of use or cost.
There is hot water in the shower only not in the kitchen, there is no working boiler in this home
Only in the shower, if dishes need to be cleaned, the kettle is boiled
The hot water is in the shower only, if hot water is needed for any other reason like washing
dishes, a kettle is used
The immersion is in the welfare hut
Hot water is very expensive (it’s) run by gas
Once again, therefore, a somewhat complex picture emerges, whereby people manage and use - as
well as pay for - energy sources in ways that are quite different to conventional norms. This has cost
implications not just for households using relatively expensive energy sources but for those who allow
others to use their energy sources, thereby increasing consumption at a cost to the grantor; we were
not able to fully establish the extent to which re-imbursement takes place here, but we suspect that
this does not always happen.
6.4. Laundry
Linkedtotherunningwaterissue,doinglaundrywasfarfromstraightforwardformost.Justoverhalf
(n=35 or 54%) reported using an electric power source for laundry but on closer examination, this was
not always necessarily their own.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
42
Use of mother’s laundry facilities
My mother’s washing machine
I use my mother’s washing machine and also the launderette
Use both my mother and mother in law’s washing machine, I rotate everyday
Use my auntie’s washing machine, sometimes I use the launderette
I use my sister’s washing machine 3-4 times per week… use the launderette once a month
Launderettes were widely used by a considerable number of respondents (n=28 or 43%) and as
illustrated by the latter quotes, sometimes in conjunction with facilities provided by extended family
members (n=15 or 23%). As with other energy sources such as gas bottles and fuel for generators,
additional costs are likely to be involved in travel to the launderette. An indicator of the extent of energy
povertyamongthesampleistheextentofclothes’handwashingthatwasreported(n=13or20%of
interviewees).Costimplicationsareclearlyidentiableintheseresponsesforexample:
The kids’ uniforms are hand washed if we can’t get into a launderette or afford it
Mostly hand washing - big things have to be brought to the launderette or else to be thrown out
6.5. Energy costs
There is a striking difference between the amount spent on energy by sampled households and the
population as a whole. As shown in Table 21 below, on average, Travellers living in mobile homes
and trailers are spending well over €100 per week on fuel and light, which is almost three times the
population average. As reported earlier, the average percentage of income spent on energy is around
ve to six times higher. 81 82
TABLE 21: WEEKLY SPEND ON FUEL AND LIGHT COMPARISON: SAMPLE v POPULATION
Spend on energy Population average Sample average (n=62)81
Weekly amount €38.56 €108.0082
Weekly amount as percentage
of household income
4.6% 26.1%
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Again as we saw earlier, the sample average masks important differences between the particular
cohorts of which it is comprised, and if we again differentiate between households who are the main or
ofcialoccupantsofanauthorisedsite,thosewho‘grouplive’onsuchsitesbutnotasmainorofcial
81 In n= 3 cases, we were not able to accurately identify energy costs.
82Thisisthemediangure;themeanwasevenhigherat€118.15.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
43
occupants, and those living on unauthorised sites including at the roadside, increased costs incurred
by the latter emerge starkly (Table 22):
TABLE 22: AMOUNT OF WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME SPENT ON ENERGY BY
OCCUPANCY STATUS
Weekly amount spent
on energy (€)
Main occupant –
authorised site
(n=21)
Not main
occupant,
authorised site
(n=20)
Living on
unauthorised
sites
(n=10)
Living at the
roadside
(n=10)
Less than €50 2 1 0 1
€50-99 7 8 1 2
€100-149 5 8 1 0
€150+ 5 3 3 7
Not identifable 2 0 5 0
Mean spend €105.79 €104.06 €158.97 €169.14
Median spend €100.00 €102.50 €173.00 €177.00
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Certain types of fuel are clearly more expensive than others and particularly those that require frequent
topupstogenerateheat.AsTable23shows,thereisanidentiable‘peckingorder’intermsofcost,with
coal, logs or sticks proving the most expensive, and home heating oil the least. It is the combinations of
these sources or types of energy however - and the setting within which they are used - that contributes
to such high rates of energy poverty among the sample. 83
TABLE 23: WEEKLY AMOUNT SPENT ON ENERGY BY TYPE
Type of energy
(number of responses)
Average weekly spend (median)
(€)
Coal/Logs/Sticks (n=26) 50.00
Diesel/petrol (n=15) 45.00
Gas bottles (n=53) 38.00
Electricity (n=36) 30.00
Home heating oil (n=8) 26.92
Laundry costs (n=24)83 30.00
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
Taken together, thendings we have presented so far illustrate that Travellers residing in mobile
homes and trailers are adversely affected with respect to each of the three conventionally accepted
componentsofenergypoverty,namelyincome,energyefciencyandcost.Inthepenultimatesection
that follows, we examine the various consequences of the phenomenon in this particular setting.
83 In all but n=2 of these cases, the costs refer to the use of a launderette.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
4444
Travellers living in mobile
homes and trailers are
spending well over €100
per week on fuel and light

45
Broadly speaking, there are three consequences of energy poverty
identiable in the responses from our n=65 households. These may
be categorised as: health and disability; household safety; and nancial
difculty.Althoughnotspecicallymentioned,therearealsoenvironmental
impacts,whichcanbederived fromthendings.Wenowlookat eachof
these themes in turn.
7.1. Health and disability
By far the most worrying and predominant type of consequence to emerge was how energy poverty
impacted on the health of household members; noticeably, health-related issues arose most frequently
inresponses to questions about heat. Such issues were specied in n=28 (43%) ofcases, spread
acrossmain(ofcial)occupants,non-main/ofcialoccupants,andthoseattheroadside.Thefollowing
are the numbers of individuals within sample households affected by health or disability-related issues
according to respondents (Table 24).84
TABLE 24: HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES IDENTIFIED BY RESPONDENTS
Health or disability issue Numbers in respondent households
Asthma 14
Disability(notspecied) 4
Heart murmur/heart issues 4
Angina/chest problems 3
Anemia/irondeciency 2
Lung function/COPD84 2
Diabetes 2
Bronchitis 1
Breathing/apnoea 1
Arthritis 1
Back problems 1
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
84 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
7. Consequences of Energy Poverty
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

46
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
There were clearly a considerable number of people affected by respiratory conditions, and on further
analysis, a number of these references related to children:
My older grandchildren and young children
My daughter has bronchitis
Asthma (child) and heart murmur (child)
My baby under 1 year and I have asthma
My two children have asthma
Mentalhealthissues were only rarely alluded to intheeldworkinterviews,whichfocusedmoreon
physical health aspects. A number of key informants consulted prior to the survey (and in particular
Primary Health Care Workers) expressed concerns about this dimension to energy poverty and indeed
around quality of life more generally; these are aspects worthy of further research.
7.2. Safety issues
In addition to health, the narratives also indicated there to be potential household safety issues; these
aroseinageneralsenseinresponsetoenergy-usequestionsandspecicallywhenclaricationwas
being provided on energy sharing.
Our electricity is over loaded and sockets overheat and power trips if we plug in the heater... there
is dampness in the day unit, which has no insulation… (it) affects the electricity which trips out
I am connected to my mother in law’s house… with a lead from sockets in the mobile that runs
through a bedroom window and is plugged into a mains socket… I get my electric from the house
The power often trips (when doing the laundry)
In one instance, a respondent resident on a permanent site, had clearly found a cost-effective heating
source, albeit one recognised as having an adverse impact on air quality both within and outside the
home. Morespecically,weaskedrespondentsdirectlyaboutthree issueswhichourkeyinformants
had indicated may be prevalent, namely: (i) asbestos (ii) electrical safety and (iii) heat safety. These
indications proved to be prescient indeed, as the following analysis suggests.
Asbestos
Atotal of n=11 respondents (17%) answered “yes” to a question on knowledge of asbestos in the
home.Onlyn=9(14%)replied“no”,whilethemajority(n=42or65%)responded“don’tknow”.Among
those who were aware of asbestos in the home, the following details emerged, and it may well be that
itispresentinthehomesofseveralofthe“don’tknow”cohortalso:
When these caravans were made, asbestos was the only stuff that they thought would keep the
caravans insulated, but we know it causes major health problems and causes dampness, which
leads to other health problems
Yes because it was so old, it was built like this years ago
Asbestos in the walls

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
47
I think between the walls there is asbestos
We have a fuel burning stove, there is asbestos behind it
Electrical safety
Worrying high numbers of respondents also answered “yes” when asked if there were any safety
issuesin the home in termsofelectricity.Aroundtwothirds(n=43or66%)repliedin the afrmative
here, with the vast majority of such homes (n=37 or 86%) being self-rigged. Inter-connections both
between and within homes were a feature here:
All the caravans are plugged into each other
It’s connected by an extension lead to a bedroom in the main house
Connected to the house by a lead, it’s just plugged into a normal socket
I am plugged into a wall along another trailer
There is a line from the unit to the mobile, which is not secured
Rigged to my uncle next door
I am connected to my parent’s house
The family sharing the bay is self rigged up to ours, which causes issues
Electric leads running across yards… keeps tripping
As the latter quote illustrates, a range of safety issues result from such practices, which mean that
supply frequently cuts out:
Over heated plugs, dampness around wires
Electric always knocks off or fuses blow constantly
We have 2 electric heaters for the rooms, sometimes we can’t put them both on at the same time
as they blow the fuse in the main house
There are problems plugging in the kettle and hairdryer at the same time.
The family have a petrol-run generator which runs the lights and TV but nothing can be plugged
in apart from that
The cable is running into some point, I don’t know, keeps going off at times
Sometimes my plugs melt
72.3% reported going
without heat through
lack of money in the
previous 12 months
72.3%

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
48
Heat safety
Concerns around heat safety emerged among similar numbers to that of electrical safety. A total of
n=40 respondents (61.5%) reported experiencing safety issues in terms of heat and no less than n=33
such interviewees (82%) took the opportunity to elaborate as to why, suggesting heightened concern
in this regard. The main worry clearly related to stoves, and the following are just some examples
of anxieties in this regard concerning asbestos, impact of the weather, self-installation, condition,
emissions, temperature, functioning and children:
We have a stove with asbestos behind it, if there is really high winds, we can’t light the re as the
chimney shakes
Self installed stove… asbestos
The stove installed by (names person) when he lived there is quite old
It’s a self-installed stove and not a great job but we had to do something because it was so cold
(There’s) escaping smoke coming from the stove… can’t leave it lighting all night
Smoke, damp, mildew
Self installed stove, gets very hot
Stove not working properly, its too hot
Open stove and small children85
The sheer number of heating appliances was a worry for these respondents:
Too many heaters, the wires overheat
The electric trips because too much is plugged in
Gas heaters were also a concern for many. Issues here related to cold weather, heat circulation,
potential“blowup”andairquality:
My heating is connected to a big bottle of gas, in the winter it freezes
There is a gas re in the mobile and Superser... there is no working heating in the bedrooms so
the doors of these rooms are opened to allow the heat to go in
Because we have to use a gas bottle, we are afraid it will explode
Gas heating in the mobile is permanently disconnected because of the danger of explosion or re
Only bottled gas… we can’t leave on too long for fear of fumes
85Anotherintervieweewasworriedthattheirchildrenmightknockovertheirparafnoilheater“andcauseare”.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
49
Other types of heating, both oil and electric, could also cause uneasiness:
We have oil heating, the pipes freeze in the winter, sometimes the boiler breaks down
Have no space for a stove... we have an electric heater, sometimes it trips the fuse in the house
I have an electricity heater and I’m very nervous about it
My heating is faulty
7.3. Inability to pay, arrears and disconnection
The context here is what is commonly referred to as self-disconnection through not being able to afford
energy at particular times; as already noted, almost three quarters of the sample (n=47 or 72.3%)
reported going without heat at some stage during the previous twelve months as a result of lack of
money,thevastmajority(n=45or69.2%)havingdonesomorethanonce.
Inresponsetospecicquestionsaboutelectricity use, we were struck by how many of those categorised
as the main occupier on an authorised bay (n=21) were having difculties meeting the associated
payments (Table 25 below).
TABLE 25: ELECTRICITY REPAYMENT DIFFICULTIES
Nature of difculty Main occupier, authorised site
(n=21)
Unable to pay in full (at some stage, past year) 10/21
Arrears (at some stage, past year) 6/21
Disconnection (at some stage, past year) 5/21
Source: National Traveller MABS Energy Poverty Survey, November 2018.
The qualitative commentaries give some insights as to how these various situations arise and are
addressed.Difcultiesamongthiscohortweredealtwitheitherbyself-disconnection,repayingarrears
throughthepostofce,bywayofprepaymentmeter,orby‘directdeduction’.
We just go without
Pay off money in the post ofce off the arrears
It gets deducted from our card
Through my social welfare 86
86Althoughnotspecied,wepresumethismaybebywayoftheHouseholdBudgetScheme.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
50
Electricityrelatedpaymentdifcultieswerealso referenced by several of those living on authorised
sites, albeit not as the main occupier, for example this respondent who repaid a family member:
When I can afford it
Difculties with electricity repayments were further highlighted by a small number of people (n=4)
living in non-authorised locations. In two of these, a local authority was providing services including
electricity (for a weekly rent) by way of a bathroom unit.87 In another instance, electricity was being
privately generated, and again the issue of self-disconnection is apparent according to the interviewer
involved:
There are no arrears as if they don’t have petrol, they don’t have electricity
7.4. Environmental issues
Althoughnotaspecicfocusofthisresearch,thereareundoubtedenvironmentalimpactstoenergy
povertyamongpeoplelivinginmobilehomesandtrailers.Over-relianceonso-called“fossilfuels”88 for
energy in the form of coal, oil and gas is now widely acknowledged as a crucial factor in driving climate
change, and there was much evidence of the prevalence of such sources among our sample, albeit
intheabsenceofreadilyavailablealternatives.Theenergyinefciencyofthehomesinvolvedfurther
leadstoincreasedconsumptionjusttotryandstaywarm(orasonerespondentputit,“nottogettoo
cold”),andthereappearedtobelittleevidenceofenergyefcientdevicesbeingusedwithinthemto
any great extent.
As touched on in a couple of places within this report, encouraging public awareness around energy
efciency-perhapsbywayofcommunityeducationinitiatives–maybeworthwhile,andaccordingto
oneofourkeyinformants,thenotionof‘communityownedenergy’isworthyofconsideration.89 Some
limited(state-funded)retrottingmayalsobepossible,althoughtheconditionofmanyhomessuggests
that this will not be viable in the majority of cases.
More fundamentally, given that so many homes are in such a state of disrepair and in light of the
unsuitability of loan schemes relative to inadequate household resources, our second suggestion is for
the introduction of a social rental/ right to buy scheme. This would involve the State purchasing quality-
standard,environmentallyefcientaccommodation,90 and then renting these as homes - possibly as
part of a right to buy or shared-ownership scheme - to those who wish to continue to practice nomadic
living in the context of recognised Traveller ethnicity.
87Adisputehadariseninbothcases,however.Intherst,theamountofarrearsisbeingqueriedwhileinthesecond,
the suggestion is that the recouping of rent and electricity charges via the same meter can cause particular problems
where arrears are involved. Traveller groups consulted in the early stages of the research highlighted the confusion
and uncertainty that can arise in respect of both rent and electricity charges (and indeed arrears) where this practice is
employed and there is evidence to support this in the research (Harvey and Walsh, ibid).
88 See: https://www.sei.org/projects-and-tools/projects/fossil-fuels-and-climate-change/
89“Communityownedenergy”isabroadtermthatdescribescitizenandlocalownershipandparticipationinrenewable
energygeneration,distributionandenergyefciency.”See:https://www.foe.ie/download/pdf/executive_summary_
community_energy_leaet.pdf
90Perhapsintheformof“demountable”chalets,inlinewiththerelevantBritishStandardforlongertermliving
(BritishStandard BS3632:2015), as per the DHPCLG Circular 46/2016 for funding for emergency replacement
mobile caravans.

51
8.1. Overall conclusion
Travellers continue to be a marginalised group in Irish society, despite recent acknowledgement of
their ethnic status. As we have seen, and in line with the literature, this marginalisation plays out in
many ways, not least in terms of income poverty,and related social and nancial exclusion. From
the perspective of this study, it also manifests itself in terms of fuel or energy poverty and we have
identiedaheightenedriskofenergypovertyforTravellerfamilieslivinginmobilehomes/trailersand
particularly among those living in unauthorised locations including at the roadside, with energy costs
overallbeingconsiderablyhigherthanforthegeneralpopulation,andnancialdifcultyprevalent.
Lackof resources, exacerbated by nancialexclusion,isakeyunderlying factor in thiscontext,not
justintermsofpresentingdifcultiesinmeetingenergycostsbutmorefundamentallyasabarrierto
thepurchaseofaffordableandmoreenergyefcientaccommodationintherstinstance.Theresultis
that the mobiles and trailers acquired are relatively old, in sub-standard condition and largely energy
inefcient.Thishasidentiableconsequences,mostnotablyintermsofsafetyandthehealthoffamily
members including children; there is also an environmental dimension here.
8.2. Policy recommendations
Energy efcient accommodation
A state-nanced rental or ‘rent-to-buy’ caravan/”demountable chalet” scheme
should be explored with Travellers as a means of making (BS) quality-standard
mobile accommodation more widely accessible.
Such a scheme would in our view be the most appropriate way of ensuring access to
affordable and sustainable homes for Travellers who wish to reside in such culturally
appropriate accommodation. A shared-ownership model is a possibility here. Such a scheme
would also ensure that the household - and by extension environmental - consequences
of energy poverty in this context are addressed. The network of Traveller groups and
organisations consulted for this study provides a ready forum for related discussions to
take place.
8. Conclusion and Recommendations
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Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
52
Income
The winter Fuel Allowance91 payment should be increased for Traveller house-
holds living in mobile homes or trailers.
As this report demonstrates, the current amount of fuel allowance (€22.50 per week) is
insufcienttoaddressenergypovertyamongTravellerhouseholdslivinginsuchcircumstances.
An increase is therefore needed to alleviate - and preferably eliminate - energy poverty among
Travellers dependent on social welfare who are living in mobiles or trailers.
Fuel allowance coverage should be extended to families who are ofcially sharing
a bay (and thereby liable for rent), and to those in other circumstances who are
provided with washing/electricity facilities by the local authority.92
Our understanding is that currently, when there are two or more social welfare recipient
Travellerfamiliessharingthesame‘bay’or‘site’,theadministrativerulesrestrictpayment
to just one of these families on the grounds that this situation is deemed to constitute one
“household”withassociatedeconomiesofscale.
It is our recommendation that each family be treated as a separate household for Fuel
Allowancepurposes,givenourkeyndingthatalthough‘groupliving’isindeedpracticed,
individual responsibility for fuel is the norm. Broadening the scope of the allowance would
go some way to alleviating energy poverty for many families in such circumstances.
We also recommend that eligibility for fuel allowance be further extended to include
thosewhoalthoughtechnicallyresidentonunofcialsites,arenonethelessprovidedwith
(ofcial)servicessuchascommunalwashingfacilitiesandelectricitysupply.
Representation should be made to the Department of Employment Affairs and
Social Protection regarding entitlement to an Exceptional Supplement for Travellers
experiencing energy poverty and health related consequences in particular.
 Provisionfor‘exceptionalsupplements’ismadebyvirtueofArticle38,Statutory
Instrument (SI) 412 of 2007.93 The Article reads as follows:
91 The Fuel Allowance is €22.50 per week and is paid for a 28-week period commencing in October (a total of €630).
See: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benets/
fuel_allowance.html#l62fd2. The allowance is to be extended by one week, see: http://www.citizensinformationboard.ie/
en/news/2019/news20190322.html
92For example, those provided with access to a communal washing hut or electricity facilities.
93 See: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2007/si/412/made/en/print
93 See: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2007/si/412/made/en/print

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
53
Payment in exceptional circumstances.
38. (1) Notwithstanding the foregoing articles, the Executive may award a
supplement in any case where it appears to the Executive that the circumstances
of the case so warrant.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-article (1), the Executive may award
a supplement where—
(a)aclaimantislivingaloneoronlywithhisorherqualiedadultoraqualiedchild
(withinthemeaningofarticle15(5))andhas,duetohisorherill-healthorinrmity
or that of any of the persons living with him or her, exceptional needs by reason of
his or her having to maintain a high standard of heating in his or her residence, or
(b)aclaimanthasexceptionalneedsotherthanthosespeciedintheseRegulations.
Source: Irish Statute Book
 Ourunderstandingisthatthisprovisionassumesthatalthoughthereisnospecicissue
with the social welfare system as a whole, nonetheless due to exceptional circumstances,
afamily’sneedsmaynotbebeingmetasitcurrentlystands.Specicreferencesto“ill-
health”and“standardofheating”areparticularlyrelevanthere,giventhendingsofthis
report.
Costs
Increase access to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENP)94 to provide periodic
assistance with fuel costs when needed.
 PreviousresearchcarriedoutbyNationalTravellerMABShasidentiedbarriersto
claiming such payments in another context.95 Where fuel costs are concerned, such
impediments are (i) the emphasis on fuel bills, which as we have shown tend not to
be a feature among those living in mobile homes or trailers; (ii) the subjective and
discretionarynatureofwhatmightconstitute‘exceptionalcircumstances’,and(iii)a
sense that many Travellers do not wish to claim such discretionary payments, deeming
these to be a form of charity even though provided for within our social welfare code.
More creative thinking and support around this particular payment could further help to
alleviate fuel poverty among Travellers living in mobile homes or trailers; for example,
such a payment may help families to meet the costs of replacing damp or ruined items
suchasbedding,ortorepair/replaceenergyinefcientappliances.
94AccordingtotheDepartmentofEmploymentandSocialProtection(DEASP):“AnExceptionalNeedsPaymentis
a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be
expected to meet out of their weekly income…you may get help with the cost of your electricity or natural gas bill, but
onlyinexceptionalcircumstances.”
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/
exceptional_needs_payments.html
95 See: Stamp, S. Murray, C. and Boyle, M. (2012) Debt and Dying: Understanding and addressing the impact of funeral
costs for Travellers in Ireland. Dublin: National Traveller MABS, p. 115-116.

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
54

55
Table 1: Sample by Accommodation Type
Table 2: Household Composition of Sampled Households
Table 3: Location of Mobile Homes or Trailers
Table 4: Extent of Group Living
Table 5: Going Without Heat and Inability to Keep the Home Warm
Table 6: Percentage of Household Income Spent on Energy
Table 7: Percentage of Household Income Spent on Energy by Occupancy Status
Table 8: Average Household and Individualised Incomes: Sample V Population
Table9: AtRiskofPovertyComparison:SampleVPopulation
Table 10: Income Relative to the Poverty Line
Table 11: Method of Payment Used for Energy
Table 12: Borrowing Source for Mobile Homes and Trailers
Table 13: Age of Accommodation at the Time of Interview
Table 14: Period of Residence in Current Accommodation
Table 15: Need for Repair to Accommodation
Table 16: Number of Items Needing Repair
Table 17: Insulation and Weather Glazing of Accommodation
Table 18: Experience of Condensation
Table19: EnergyEfciency:HeatingAppliances
Table 20: Need for Repair to Appliances
Table 21: Weekly Spend on Fuel and Light Comparison: Sample V Population
Table 22: Amount of Weekly Household Income Spent on Energy by Occupancy Status
Table 23: Weekly Amount Spent on Energy by Type
Table24: Health-RelatedIssuesIdentiedbyRespondents
Table25: ElectricityRepaymentDifculties
List of Tables
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
5656
72.3% reported going without
heat through lack of money
in the previous 12 months

57
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ĚƵůƚƐ;ϭϴŽƌŽǀĞƌͿ


ŚŝůĚƌĞŶ;ƵŶĚĞƌϭϴͿ



















Appendix 1
Questionnaire
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
58

Ϯ

WZdϭzKhZydE&D/>zEd,/ZKDDKd/KE
YϰƌĞƚŚĞƌĞĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌĨĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌƐƐŚĂƌŝŶŐLJŽƵƌLJĂƌĚ͕ďĂLJŽƌƐŝƚĞ;ŝŶƚŚĞĐĂƐĞŽĨĂŚŽƵƐĞͿ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ


/ĨLJĞƐ͕ƉůĞĂƐĞƐƚĂƚĞƚŚĞŶƵŵďĞƌŽĨƉĞŽƉůĞĂŶĚƚŚĞŬŝŶĚŽĨĂĐĐŽŵŵŽĚĂƚŝŽŶƚŚĞLJůŝǀĞŝŶ

ĞƐĐƌŝƉƚŝŽŶ

EƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ
ŵŽďŝůĞƐͬĐŚĂůĞƚƐ
ĞƚĐ͘
EƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ
ƉĞŽƉůĞůŝǀŝŶŐ
ƚŚĞƌĞ
DŽďŝůĞ







dƌĂŝůĞƌ




ŚĂůĞƚ





,ŽƵƐĞ
;ĂƌĞ LJŽƵ
ůŽĐĂƚĞĚ ŶĞdžƚ
ƚŽĂŚŽƵƐĞͿ






dŽƚĂůƐ





YϱtŚĞƌĞŝƐLJŽƵƌŵŽďŝůĞͬĐŚĂůĞƚͬƚƌĂŝůĞƌůŽĐĂƚĞĚ͍WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬ
ƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĞĚƉĞƌŵĂŶĞŶƚƐŝƚĞ

ƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĞĚƚĞŵƉŽƌĂƌLJƐŝƚĞ

ŵĞƌŐĞŶĐLJƐŝƚĞ

hŶĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƐĞĚƐŝƚĞ

^ŝĚĞŽĨƚŚĞƌŽĂĚ


/ĨLJŽƵǁŽƵůĚĚĞƐĐƌŝďĞĚŝĨĨĞƌĞŶƚůLJƉůĞĂƐĞĞdžƉůĂŝŶ


dŚĂŶŬLJŽƵ͘tĞĂƌĞŶŽǁŐŽŝŶŐƚŽĂƐŬLJŽƵƐŽŵĞƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐĂďŽƵƚLJŽƵƌŵŽďŝůĞͬƚƌĂŝůĞƌŝĨ
that’s ok

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
59

ϯ

WZdϮ͗zKhZDK/>͕dZ/>ZŽƌ,>d

Yϲ/ĨLJŽƵĂƌĞůŝǀŝŶŐŝŶĂŵŽďŝůĞͬƚƌĂŝůĞƌŽƌĐŚĂůĞƚ͕ŚŽǁŵĂŶLJďĞĚƌŽŽŵƐĂƌĞƚŚĞƌĞ͍








Yϳ,ŽǁŵĂŶLJLJĞĂƌƐŽůĚŝƐLJŽƵƌŵŽďŝůĞ͕ƚƌĂŝůĞƌŽƌĐŚĂůĞƚ͍

EƵŵďĞƌŽĨLJĞĂƌŽůĚ

Don’ƚŬŶŽǁ


WƌĞĨĞƌŶŽƚƚŽƐĂLJ


Yϴ,ŽǁŵĂŶLJLJĞĂƌƐŚĂǀĞLJŽƵůŝǀĞĚŝŶƚŚŝƐŵŽďŝůĞŽƌƚƌĂŝůĞƌ͍

EƵŵďĞƌŽĨLJĞĂƌƐůŝǀĞĚƚŚĞƌĞ

ŽŶ’t kŶŽǁ



WƌĞĨĞƌŶŽƚƚŽƐĂLJ 


YϵĂͿŽLJŽƵŽǁŶŽƌƌĞŶƚLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞ͍
KǁŶ

ZĞŶƚ


ďͿ/ĨLJŽƵďŽƵŐŚƚLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞ͕ǁŽƵůĚLJŽƵŵŝŶĚƚĞůůŝŶŐƵƐŝĨLJŽƵŚĂĚƚŽďŽƌƌŽǁƚŽďƵLJŝƚ͍

/ĨƐŽ͕ǁŚŽĚŝĚLJŽƵďŽƌƌŽǁĨƌŽŵ͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬĂƐŵĂŶLJĂƐƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚͿ
Didn’t borrow

&ĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌ

ŽƵŶƚLJŽƵŶĐŝů

ƌĞĚŝƚhŶŝŽŶ

ĂŶŬ

DŽŶĞLJ>ĞŶĚĞƌ

KƚŚĞƌ


YϭϬĂͿ/ƐLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞŝŶƐƵůĂƚĞĚ͍




zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know


Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
60

ϰ

ďͿŽLJŽƵŬŶŽǁŝĨĂŶLJƉĂƌƚŽĨLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞŚĂƐĂƐďĞƐƚŽƐ͍
zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know


Please add any relevant details here…………..











Yϭϭ/ƐLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞƐŝŶŐůĞŽƌĚŽƵďůĞŐůĂnjĞĚ͍




^ŝŶŐůĞ

ŽƵďůĞ

Don’t know


Please add any relevant details here…………









YϭϮŽLJŽƵĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĂŶLJĐŽŶĚĞŶƐĂƚŝŽŶ͍&ŽƌĞdžĂŵƉůĞŚĂǀĞLJŽƵŝƐƐƵĞƐǁŝƚŚĚĂŵƉŵŽƵůĚŽƌ
ƌŽƚ͍





zĞƐ



EŽ


/ĨLJĞƐŚŽǁŽĨƚĞŶ͕ƉůĞĂƐĞŐŝǀĞĚĞƚĂŝůƐďĞůŽǁ













Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
61

ϱ

YϭϯŽLJŽƵŚĂǀĞǀĞŶƚŝůĂƚŝŽŶŝƐƐƵĞƐŝŶLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞ͍




zĞƐ͕



EŽ

/ĨLJĞƐŚŽǁŽĨƚĞŶ͕ƉůĞĂƐĞŐŝǀĞĚĞƚĂŝůƐďĞůŽǁ











WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ͗;Ğ͘Ő͘LJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞŝƐŽƉĞŶƚŽƚŚĞĞůĞŵĞŶƚƐͿ











Yϭϰ
ĂͿŽLJŽƵĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĂŶLJƐĂĨĞƚLJŝƐƐƵĞƐŝŶƚĞƌŵƐŽĨĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ




/ƐLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞƐĞůĨͲƌŝŐŐĞĚƵƉ͍

ďͿzĞƐ

EŽ

   
WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ










Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
62

ϲ

YϭϱŽLJŽƵĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĂŶLJƐĂĨĞƚLJŝƐƐƵĞƐŝŶƚĞƌŵƐŽĨŚĞĂƚ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ



WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞĞ͘Ő͘ƚŚĞƌĞŝƐĂƐĞůĨͲŝŶƐƚĂůůĞĚƐƚŽǀĞŝŶLJŽƵƌŵŽďŝůĞ͕ŽƌƚŚĞƌĞ
ŝƐĂƐďĞƐƚŽƐƉƌŽƚĞĐƚŝŶŐƚŚĞƐƚŽǀĞĞƚĐ͘








YϭϲŽĞƐLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞŶĞĞĚĂŶLJƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ͍    

zĞƐ

EŽ



/ĨLJĞƐƉůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬŝĨƚŚĞƌĞĂƌĞƌĞƉĂŝƌƐŶĞĞĚĞĚƚŽĂŶLJŽĨƚŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ͗
tŝŶĚŽǁƐ

ŽŽƌƐ

&ůŽŽƌ

ZŽŽĨ

KǀĞŶ

^ƚŽǀĞ

,ĞĂƚŝŶŐ^LJƐƚĞŵ


WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ








YϭϳŽĞƐLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞŶĞĞĚƌĞƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ



WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ








dŚĂŶŬLJŽƵ͘tĞĂƌĞŶŽǁŐŽŝŶŐƚŽ ĂƐŬLJŽƵƐŽŵĞ ƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐĂďŽƵƚLJŽƵƌĞŶĞƌŐLJƵƐĞŝĨ ƚŚĂƚŝƐ
ŽŬ͍

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
63

ϳ

WZdϯEZ'zh^
WŽǁĞƌ^ŽƵƌĐĞƐ
YϭϴtŚĂƚƐŽƵƌĐĞ;ƐͿŽĨƉŽǁĞƌĚŽLJŽƵƵƐĞƚŽůŝŐŚƚLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞ͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJƐƵƉƉůLJ



'ĞŶĞƌĂƚŽƌ;ƉĞƚƌŽůͬĚŝĞƐĞůͿ



KƚŚĞƌ;Ğ͘Ő͘ ĨĂŵŝůLJ member’s
ƐƵƉƉůLJͿ






WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ






















Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
64

ϴ

YϭϵĂͿtŚĂƚƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨƉŽǁĞƌĚŽLJŽƵƵƐĞƚŽŚĞĂƚLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞ͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

&ƵĞůdLJƉĞ

;WůĞĂƐĞ ƚŝĐŬ
ŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

ĞǀŝĐĞƵƐĞĚ
Ğ͘Ő͘
ƌĂĚŝĂƚŽƌͬĨĂŶ
ŚĞĂƚĞƌĞƚĐ͘
EŽ ŽĨ
ĚĞǀŝĐĞƐ
,ŽŵĞŚĞĂƚŝŶŐŽŝů







>ŽŐƐͬŽĂů
tŽŽĚͬŽĂů 




ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ



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
'ĂƐďŽƚƚůĞƐ






KƚŚĞƌ







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ďͿƌĞĂŶLJŽĨLJŽƵƌŚĞĂƚŝŶŐĚĞǀŝĐĞƐĞŶĞƌŐLJĞĨĨŝĐŝĞŶƚ͍
zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know





YϮϬtŚĂƚƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨƉŽǁĞƌĚŽLJŽƵƵƐĞĨŽƌĐŽŽŬŝŶŐ;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ
tŽŽĚͬŽĂů


ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ


'ĂƐŽƚƚůĞƐ


KƚŚĞƌ

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
ϵ

WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ









YϮϭ
Ϳ ŽLJŽƵŚĂǀĞĂĐĐĞƐƐƚŽŚŽƚƌƵŶŶŝŶŐǁĂƚĞƌ͍
zĞƐ

EŽ



Ϳ /Ĩ LJĞƐ͕ ǁŚĂƚ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ ŽĨ ƉŽǁĞƌ ĚŽ LJŽƵ ƵƐĞ ĨŽƌ ŚŽƚ ǁĂƚĞƌ Ğ͘Ő ĨŽƌ ǁĂƐŚŝŶŐ
ĚŝƐŚĞƐͬƐŚŽǁĞƌŝŶŐ͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ


,ŽŵĞŚĞĂƚŝŶŐŽŝů




tŽŽĚͬŽĂů


ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ


'ĂƐďŽƚƚůĞƐ


KƚŚĞƌ



WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ




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







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
ϭϬ

YϮϮtŚĂƚƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨƉŽǁĞƌĚŽ LJŽƵƵƐĞĨŽƌůĂƵŶĚƌLJ͍ŽLJŽƵƵƐĞĂůĂƵŶĚĞƌĞƚƚĞ͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬ
ŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĞŝĨĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ


>ĂƵŶĚĞƌĞƚƚĞ


,ĂŶĚǁĂƐŚŝŶŐ


KƚŚĞƌ ;ĞdžƚĞŶĚĞĚ ĨĂŵŝůLJ
ŵĞŵďĞƌƐƐƵƉƉůLJͿ



WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ













dŚĂŶŬzŽƵ͘tĞĂƌĞŶŽǁŐŽŝŶŐƚŽĂƐŬLJŽƵĂďŽƵƚLJŽƵƌĞŶĞƌŐLJĐŽƐƚƐŝĨƚŚĂƚŝƐŽŬ͍



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
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









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
ϭϭ

WZdϰͲzKhZEZ'zK^d^;ƉůĞĂƐĞƐĞĞĞdžĂŵƉůĞŽŶƉϭϳͿ
YϮϯ,ŽǁŵƵĐŚĚŽLJŽƵƐƉĞŶĚŽŶĂǀĞƌĂŐĞŽŶƚŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ

&ƵĞůdLJƉĞ

WĞƌǁĞĞŬ
KƚŚĞƌ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ͕
ƉůĞĂƐĞ ƐƚĂƚĞ
;Ğ͘Ő͘ ĞǀĞƌLJ Ϯ
ǁĞĞŬƐŽƌĞǀĞƌLJ
ŵŽŶƚŚͿ
Don’t
<ŶŽǁ
;ŝĨ LJŽƵ
ůŽƐĞ
ƚƌĂĐŬͿ
EŽƚ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞ
ŽĂůͬůŽŐƐͬƐƚŝĐŬƐ

€
€


ŝĞƐĞůͬƉĞƚƌŽů;ĨŽƌ
ŐĞŶĞƌĂƚŽƌͿ

€
€


ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ
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€
€
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
'ĂƐŽƚƚůĞƐ

€
€
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
,ŽŵĞ ŚĞĂƚŝŶŐ
Žŝů

€
€
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
>ĂƵŶĚĞƌĞƚƚĞ

€
€


WĂLJŝŶŐ ŽƚŚĞƌ
ĨĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌƐ


€
€
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KƚŚĞƌ ;ƉůĞĂƐĞ
ƐƉĞĐŝĨLJͿ

€
€

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
/Ĩ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ Ă ĨĂŵŝůLJ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ ƐƵƉƉůLJbut don’t have to make a
ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚŝŽŶƉůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬƚŚĞďŽdž  

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dŚĂŶŬLJŽƵ͘tĞĂƌĞŶŽǁŐŽŝŶŐƚŽĂƐŬLJŽƵƐŽŵĞƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐĂďŽƵƚŚŽǁLJŽƵƉĂLJĨŽƌĞŶĞƌŐLJŝĨ
ƚŚĂƚŝƐŽŬ͍


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
ϭϮ

WZdϱ͗WzDEd^
YϮϰtŚŝĐŚŽĨƚŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐƉĂLJŵĞŶƚŵĞƚŚŽĚƐĚŽLJŽƵƵƐĞĨŽƌĞŶĞƌŐLJŽƌĨƵĞů͍;WůĞĂƐĞƚŝĐŬĂƐ
ŵĂŶLJĂƐĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

WƌĞƉĂLJŵĞŶƚDĞƚĞƌ


ĂƐŚWĂLJŵĞŶƚ


ŚĞƋƵĞ


,ŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚƵĚŐĞƚ^ĐŚĞŵĞ

,,
ůĞĐƚƌŽŶŝĐƉĂLJŵĞŶƚƐĞ͘Ő͘ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚďĂŶŬŽƌĐƌĞĚŝƚĐĂƌĚ


WŽƐƚKĨĨŝĐĞ


KŶůŝŶĞͬŝŶƚĞƌŶĞƚ


KƚŚĞƌ



WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ









YϮϱĂͿ ,ĂǀĞ LJŽƵĞǀĞƌŚĂĚƚŽŐŽ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚŚĞĂƚŝŶŐĚƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞůĂƐƚϭϮ ŵŽŶƚŚƐƚŚƌŽƵŐŚůĂĐŬŽĨ
ŵŽŶĞLJ͍;/ŵĞĂŶŚĂǀĞLJŽƵŚĂĚƚŽŐŽǁŝƚŚŽƵƚĂĨŝƌĞŽŶĂĐŽůĚĚĂLJ͕ŽƌŐŽƚŽďĞĚƚŽŬĞĞƉǁĂƌŵ
ŽƌůŝŐŚƚƚŚĞĨŝƌĞůĂƚĞďĞĐĂƵƐĞŽĨůĂĐŬŽĨĐŽĂůͬĨƵĞů͍Ϳ


zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know


ďͿ/ĨLJĞƐ͕ǁĂƐƚŚŝƐŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĐĞ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ



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
ϭϯ

YϮϲƌĞLJŽƵĂďůĞƚŽŬĞĞƉLJŽƵƌŚŽŵĞǁĂƌŵ͍;/ĨŶŽ͕ŝƐŝƚďĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚĐĂŶŶŽƚĂĨĨŽƌĚ
ƚŽŽƌŝƐƚŚĞƌĞĂŶŽƚŚĞƌƌĞĂƐŽŶ͍Ϳ

zĞƐ

EŽ͕ďĞĐĂƵƐĞĐĂŶŶŽƚĂĨĨŽƌĚ

EŽ͕ďĞĐĂƵƐĞŽƚŚĞƌƌĞĂƐŽŶ


WůĞĂƐĞĂĚĚĂŶLJƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚĚĞƚĂŝůƐŚĞƌĞ



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
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
YϮϳ/ƐƚŚĞƌĞĂŶLJŽŶĞŝŶLJŽƵƌĨĂŵŝůLJǁŝƚŚĂŚĞĂůƚŚŝƐƐƵĞƚŚĂƚƌĞƋƵŝƌĞƐĞdžƚƌĂŚĞĂƚ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ
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

WůĞĂƐĞĞdžƉůĂŝŶ
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




YϮϴŽĞƐƚŚĞĂŵŽƵŶƚLJŽƵƉĂLJĨŽƌLJŽƵƌƌĞŶƚŝŶĐůƵĚĞLJŽƵƌĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ͍
zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know



YϮϵĂͿ,ĂǀĞLJŽƵďĞĞŶŝŶĂƌƌĞĂƌƐǁŝƚŚLJŽƵƌĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJĂƚĂŶLJƚŝŵĞŝŶƚŚĞůĂƐƚϭϮŵŽŶƚŚƐ


zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know



ďͿ/Ĩ LJĞƐ ŚŽǁ ŵƵĐŚĂƌĞLJŽƵƌ
ĂƌƌĞĂƌƐ
€






ƌĞLJŽƵŵĂŬŝŶŐƉĂLJŵĞŶƚƐĂŐĂŝŶƐƚLJŽƵƌĂƌƌĞĂƌƐ͍


zĞƐ

EŽ






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
ϭϰ

/ĨLJĞƐŚŽǁĚŽLJŽƵŵĂŬĞƌĞƉĂLJŵĞŶƚƐŽĨĨLJŽƵƌĂƌƌĞĂƌƐ͍WůĞĂƐĞĞdžƉůĂŝŶ ;ĞdžĂŵƉůĞŝƐŝƚƐƚŽƉƉĞĚ
ĨƌŽŵLJŽƵƌƐŽĐŝĂůǁĞůĨĂƌĞƉĂLJŵĞŶƚͿ










YϯϬĂͿƚĂŶLJƚŝŵĞŝŶƚŚĞůĂƐƚϭϮŵŽŶƚŚƐ͕ǁĞƌĞLJŽƵƵŶĂďůĞƚŽƉĂLJLJŽƵƌĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJďŝůůŽŶƚŝŵĞ
ŝŶĨƵůů͕ĚƵĞƚŽĨŝŶĂŶĐŝĂůĚŝĨĨŝĐƵůƚŝĞƐ

zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know


ďͿ/ĨLJĞƐǁĂƐƚŚŝƐŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶŽŶĐĞ͍
zĞƐ

EŽ



Yϯϭ/ŶƚŚĞůĂƐƚϭϮŵŽŶƚŚƐŚĂƐLJŽƵƌĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJƐƵƉƉůLJďĞĞŶĚŝƐĐŽŶŶĞĐƚĞĚĂƚĂŶLJƐƚĂŐĞ͍


zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know


YϯϮƌĞ LJŽƵƚŚĞŽŶůLJƵƐĞƌŽĨ ƚŚĞĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJƐƵƉƉůLJƚŽLJŽƵƌ ŵŽďŝůĞ ƚƌĂŝůĞƌŽƌĐŚĂůĞƚ͍;dŚŝƐ ŝƐ
ĂƐŬŝŶŐǁŚĞƚŚĞƌLJŽƵƐŚĂƌĞĂďĂLJǁŝƚŚĂŚŽƵƐĞ͘Ϳ

zĞƐ

EŽ




Yϯϯ
ŽLJŽƵƐŚĂƌĞĂŶĞůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJƐƵƉƉůLJǁŝƚŚŽƚŚĞƌĨĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ













dŚĂŶŬLJŽƵ͘/ŶƚŚĞĨŝŶĂůƐĞĐƚŝŽŶ͕ǁĞĂƌĞŐŽŝŶŐƚŽĂƐŬLJŽƵƐŽŵĞƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶƐĂďŽƵƚLJŽƵƌŝŶĐŽŵĞ
ŝƚƚŚĂƚŝƐŽŬĂLJ͍



Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
71

ϭϱ

WZdϲ͗zKhZ^KhZ^K&/EKD
YϯϰIs your household’s main source of income each weekĨƌŽŵ͗

^ŽĐŝĂůtĞůĨĂƌĞ


tĂŐĞͬ^ĂůĂƌLJ


^ĞůĨͲŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ


dƌĂŝŶŝŶŐͬŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚƐĐŚĞŵĞ;Ϳ


KƚŚĞƌ



/ĨŽƚŚĞƌƉůĞĂƐĞƐƉĞĐŝĨLJ









Yϯϱ,ŽǁŵƵĐŚŝƐLJŽƵƌŵĂŝŶƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨŝŶĐŽŵĞƉĞƌǁĞĞŬƉůĞĂƐĞ͍

WůĞĂƐĞĞŶƚĞƌĂŵŽƵŶƚŚĞƌĞ
€

YϯϲŽĞƐLJŽƵƌŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĂŶLJŽƚŚĞƌƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨǁĞĞŬůLJŝŶĐŽŵĞ͕ĂŶĚŝĨƐŽ͕ŚŽǁŵƵĐŚ
ƉůĞĂƐĞ͍͘;WůĞĂƐĞůĞĂǀĞďůĂŶŬŝĨŶŽƚĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞͿ

^ŽĐŝĂůtĞůĨĂƌĞ
€

Carer’s allowance
€

tĂŐĞ
€

^ĞůĨͲŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ
€

&ĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚŝŽŶƚŽǁĂƌĚƐďŝůůƐ
€

KƚŚĞƌ

€



Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
72

ϭϲ

/ĨŽƚŚĞƌƉůĞĂƐĞƐƉĞĐŝĨLJ









YϯϳŽĞƐLJŽƵŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĂĨƵĞůĂůůŽǁĂŶĐĞĚƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞǁŝŶƚĞƌ͍


zĞƐ

EŽ

Don’t Know



YϯϴĂͿŽĞƐLJŽƵƌŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚƌĞĐĞŝǀĞŵŽŶƚŚůLJŝŶĐŽŵĞ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ




ďͿ/ĨLJĞƐ͕ŚŽǁŵƵĐŚŝŶĞĂĐŚĐĂƐĞƉůĞĂƐĞ͍
ŚŝůĚďĞŶĞĨŝƚ
€

ŽŵŝĐŝůŝĂƌLJĂƌĞůůŽǁĂŶĐĞ
€

KƚŚĞƌ
€


/ĨŽƚŚĞƌƉůĞĂƐĞƐƉĞĐŝĨLJ









DĂLJǁĞĐŽŶƚĂĐƚLJŽƵŝŶƚŚĞĨƵƚƵƌĞŝŶƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƚŽƚŚŝƐĞŶĞƌŐLJƐƵƌǀĞLJ͍

zĞƐ

EŽ



d,E< zKh ^K Dh, &KZ d</E' d, d/D dK KDW>d d,/^ KE&/Ed/>
Yh^d/KEE/Z


/ĨLJŽƵǁŽƵůĚůŝŬĞŵŽƌĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶŽŶĚĞĂůŝŶŐǁŝƚŚĞŶĞƌŐLJĐŽƐƚƐŽƌ
ŵŽŶĞLJŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚŵŽƌĞŐĞŶĞƌĂůůLJ͕ǁĞĐĂŶƉƵƚLJŽƵŝŶƚŽƵĐŚǁŝƚŚ
LJŽƵƌůŽĐĂůD^ŽĨĨŝĐĞ

tŽƵůĚŝƚďĞŽŬĂLJǁŝƚŚLJŽƵƚŽƚĂŬĞƐŽŵĞƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚƐ͍

Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
73

ϭϳ

^DW>ŽŵƉůĞƚŝŽŶŽĨYϮϭ
,ŽǁŵƵĐŚĚŽLJŽƵƐƉĞŶĚŽŶĂǀĞƌĂŐĞŽŶƚŚĞĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ͍
&ƵĞůdLJƉĞ

WĞƌǁĞĞŬ
KƚŚĞƌ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ͕
ƉůĞĂƐĞ ƐƚĂƚĞ
;ĞŐ ĞǀĞƌLJ Ϯ
ǁĞĞŬƐ Žƌ
ĞǀĞƌLJŵŽŶƚŚͿ
Don’t
<ŶŽǁ
;ŝĨ LJŽƵ
ůŽƐĞ
ƚƌĂĐŬͿ
EŽƚ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞ
ŽĂůͬůŽŐƐͬƐƚŝĐŬƐ

€
€

Don’t buy
ĐŽĂůůŽŐƐ
ŝĞƐĞůͬƉĞƚƌŽů;ĨŽƌ
ŐĞŶĞƌĂƚŽƌͿ

€
€

Don’t use
ŐĞŶĞƌĂƚŽƌ
ůĞĐƚƌŝĐŝƚLJ

€ϯϱŽŶĐĂƌĚ
€


'ĂƐŽƚƚůĞƐ

€ϯϮ;ĨŽƌ
ĐŽŽŬŝŶŐͿ
€ϲϰ ĞǀĞƌLJ ϯ
ǁĞĞŬƐ ĨŽƌ
ŚĞĂƚŝŶŐ


,ŽŵĞ ŚĞĂƚŝŶŐ
Žŝů

€
€

Don’t use
ŚĞĂƚŝŶŐŽŝů

>ĂƵŶĚĞƌĞƚƚĞ

€
€ϭϲ ĞǀĞƌLJ Ϯ
ǁĞĞŬƐ


WĂLJŝŶŐ ŽƚŚĞƌ
ĨĂŵŝůLJŵĞŵďĞƌƐ


€
€

EŽƚ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞ

KƚŚĞƌ ;ƉůĞĂƐĞ
ƐƉĞĐŝĨLJͿ

€
€

EŽƚ
ĂƉƉůŝĐĂďůĞ




Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers
74

75
Ballyfermot MABS
Ballyfermot Traveller Action Group
Blanchardstown Traveller Development Group
CarlowTravellerProgramme-StCatherine’sCommunityCentreServices
Clondalkin Travellers Development Group
CorkTravellerWomen’sNetwork
Donegal Travellers Project
Fingal Primary Healthcare Workers
Meath Traveller Primary Health Care Project
Offaly Traveller Movement
Pavee Point, Primary Health Care Workers
Southside Traveller Action Group
Tipperary Rural Traveller Project
Wicklow Primary Health Care Project
Appendix 2
Organisations assisting this research
Accommodating Ethnicity: Addressing Energy Poverty Among Travellers Living in Mobile Homes & Trailers