When my husband and I vacationed in Ireland in January, we stayed in B
& B's where they tended to turn the heat on for a couple of hours in
the evening then turned it off. So we were freezing when we woke up in
the morning. When we asked our hosts about this, they confirmed that
they only really turn the heat on for the tourists. I am also reading
some mysteries set in England where they talk about turning the heater
on in the evenings, when they come home from work. I guess I am used
to central heating and I tend to keep it running - although at a lower
temperature - even when we are at work so the house is warm when we
get home.
Is central heating not as common in Britain and Ireland or are houses
usually not heated as much because the price of heat is high? This has
been on my mind ever since we got back. (By the way, the lack of heat
in no way diminished our enjoyment of Ireland and we can't wait to go
back!)

I can't speak for the whole of the UK, but here in London most houses
and flats (apartments) have central heating, and on the whole people
use it fairly freely. On the other hand - assuming you live in the USA
(sorry if you don't) - we do tend to be a little more conscious of the
need for energy conservation this side of the Atlantic. So many
British people would only have the heating on all night in the depth
of winter; in other seasons, the heating would be timed to go off at
bed-time, and come on in the early morning. All that said, small
hotels and guesthouses all over Europe tend to be economic with
heating. I've often shivered in hotel rooms, especially in those
countries where it is very hot in the summer (eg Southern France,
Spain & Italy) but the locals cannot accept that from November to
April the nights are cold!

I live in the UK and I wouldn't want to be without central heating.

However I do turn it down before I go to bed and before I go out
because otherwise I find the house unpleasantly warm.

I also like to open doors and windows for the same reason.

Also, I HATE air conditioning!

I live in the UK and I think this figure would be about right.

?90% of U.K. homes have central heating systems?
http://www.simmonsco-intl.com/files/031104.pdf

As for Ireland I found this,
?the report also highlights the fact that almost 100,000 Irish homes
have inadequate heating systems. It
says some 256,000 homes or 21.3pc of households in Ireland did not
have central heating or electric storage heaters?
http://www.mabs.ie/public_pdf/media_resources/fuelreport.pdf

Personally, I only have it on in the winter between 3pm ?11pm.  I
don?t like it too dry and stuffy and would rather wear another layer
of clothes.

answerfinder-ga

Scottish houses are cold, damp and draughty. Somewhat inappropriate
for a cold, damp draughty climate. Many homes don't have central
heating. Thick vein of Calvinism dictates that it is sinful to be
comfortable so we shiver and revel in the suffering. However, the
price of fuel (with respect to the US) confers appreciation that
energy is not a ?given thing?. The ramifications of this are far
reaching in that the UK (and Europe) are by conscience, more
environmentally conscious than the profligate consumers of the New
World. Ergo we don?t use heat when it?s not required -- absolutely
nothing to do with the scurrilous invention that Scots are mean.

Best

First, Ireland is no longer one of the "British" Isles. The Irish
people never consented to be ruled by Britain from the early 1800s to
1921 but even according to British law and the British constitutional
position on Ireland, Ireland was never part of Britain..the British
position is that Ireland was part of the United Kingdom and now the
British only claim that Northern Ireland is part of the UK, but have
never claimed any part of Ireland to be part of Britain. So kindly
respect us Irish and do not include Ireland as a "British" Isle.

Hi jonathanojordan-ga

I have searched the Question and all the Comments to date and I can
see no allusion to Ireland being part of Britain or the UK.

Am I missing something?

Or is this your subtle plea to brought into the fold?

OK then send your application to Tony Blair ... I'm sure that he will do his best.

I can definitely vouch that Ireland is lacking in good, cheap central
heating. I have lived in two houses here both without central heating
or even a hot water tap, and I'm not on the poverty line! There was an
announcement made this year that around 50,000 council homes are to be
given upgraded heating systems which tells you it's not just me and
you having the problem!