Despite dramatic falls in wholesale electricity costs, households face sky-high energy bills this winter
Irish households are facing another winter of sky-high gas and electricity bills due to the Government’s failure to act on sky-high energy prices, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore.
Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on energy, said:
“It is completely unacceptable that domestic customers in Ireland are paying almost €1,000 more every year for their electricity than the European average. According to the Household Energy Price Index, bills here are 80 per cent higher than the EU average.
“This is despite the fact that figures released by the Central Statistics Office this week showed that wholesale electricity prices fell by 64 per cent in July compared to the same time last year. In fact, electricity costs on the wholesale market are now lower than at any time during the past two years.
“Speaking in the Dáil last February, the Taoiseach signalled that energy companies would be taken to task by the Government if prices did not come down fast enough. But more than six months later, there is still no indication of when these exorbitant prices are going to fall.
“The Minister for Finance said this week that it should not fall on the taxpayer to help householders with their energy costs this winter. However, it is inevitable that further State supports will be a feature of the upcoming Budget given the Government’s failure to act on these enormous energy costs.
“As families once again worry about the cost of heating their homes this winter, it is difficult to understand why the Government continues to treat energy companies with kid gloves.”
August 23, 2023