Ms Cathy Mannion:

We do not see pay-as-you-go meters as a solution. Deputy Flanagan is correct; one is going from being disconnected by a network to self-disconnection and that creates its own problems. We know that and what we have done is put emergency credits on the meter so that at least in one of the circumstances outlined by the Deputy there is some credit that will let people continue to use electricity for a period. The amount is approximately €5 which is perhaps a day or so’s worth of electricity. Another measure is that at certain times of the day or over weekends the meter will not disconnect because one wants people to have the opportunity to buy credit in order to top up their meter. What one does not want to happen is that the electricity would run out during the night and that suddenly there would be no electricity.

I have one other point to make about vulnerable customers. The supplier has to demonstrate to us that the customer actively wants to have a pay-as-you-go meter for the very simple fact that it is self-disconnection and it does not suit certain customers. The supplier has to be very clear with the customer on whether they want that type of meter.