Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will pick up on Deputy Whitmore's point on the plans. We need those, although I recognise the constraints in terms of the budgetary cycle, for security of supply, generation capacity and price. It is causing inordinate panic among communities and households. There is a constant feeling of impending doom surrounding further price hikes. The news cycle is full of this stuff. People are waiting for the next increase. Government has a job to do in terms of providing information for people. There are benefits in terms of a price cap, where there is clarity. The approach the Government is taking does not provide that but there is a huge need to adequately inform people. The Government should bring in the energy companies and hold them to a line as to what increases are coming and when. It should stop treating them with kid gloves.

On the retrofitting plan, it would be completely unforgivable as we start into September to miss targets by the end of the year, particularly for those people at risk of fuel poverty.