Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

My final questions concern energy poverty. I am worried about demand pricing and energy meters. We do not want to develop a situation where what gets called “choice” is effectively placing responsibility on people to turn off their energy and energy poverty being the result. Therefore, I would like the witnesses to comment on energy poverty-proofing in respect of measures such as time usage. Turning to landlords, should there be a stick in respect of measures such as requiring higher building energy ratings, instead of just the carrots that are offered to industry? Finally, the moratorium on electricity bills ended just last week. As a result, many people have received extraordinarily high bills. Prior to this, bills were based on estimated usage. Now, however, the meters have been read and many customers are getting immensely costly bills at a time they are still under pressure. For example, do the witnesses think that a letter or communication should be sent by all utility providers to reassure customers and lessen the concern and alarm that many are feeling about going into debt for the sake of one or two high bills in July and August?