Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I agree with Deputy English that the recent energy price increases are a national scandal. I have called for the resignation of the regulator and I do so again tonight. What does he regulate? Does the regulator understand how people in this country have to live? Does he hide behind the name of the regulator? Does he have any understanding of the way businesses must operate and how people have to try to make a living in this country?

When the regulator discovered that the price of oil in particular had come down, why was he not able to say that, while he had to increase the prices because the price of oil increased, he would now reduce them? We are now told he will have to review the position some time next year. If he has the power to put up prices, he should have the power to reduce them.

We are facing winter and people are faced with massive energy price hikes. People will not be able to heat their homes. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan, told the poor people of this country that he would do something for them. He announced the increases that would come into effect from last year's budget. I hope that in the budget in December the super rich will not be looked after again and that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs will announce generous increases for people to cover the cost of fuel.

The fuel scheme operates for 29 weeks of the year. It was increased from 26 weeks but the allowance is not available throughout the year. It runs from October to April but not between April and October. Does the Government not know we have bad weather in this country most of the time? People need to have a fire going in their homes all the time.

It is a disgrace that the regulator did not see fit to protect the poorest in society. It is the first time since I came into politics that I have been contacted by business people, employers and people involved in industry who told me they will no longer be able to compete here, that their jobs are at risk because of these recent increases.

We increased prices for the ESB. The ESB, like many more companies in this country, has a box in Croke Park — I do know if the Minister of State ever attended one — which it can fill without difficulty. It can wine, dine and look after the rich, yet when it has to make a cut-back it runs to the regulator and the regulator crucifies the small, the weak and the sick with fuel increases. That is a disgrace.

I could not speak tonight without mentioning the announcement made last week on gas. I welcome the fact that towns in my county got the connection, but to me it is the greatest scandal. If Guinness was produced in Dublin and sold throughout the world but was not available in Dublin, there would be an outcry. We have a situation where gas will be piped out of Erris, will pass Belmullet and continue to Crossmolina, yet the people of Erris, from where the gas will be piped, will not be connected to the pipeline. They could not connect Ballinrobe, Swinford or Kiltimagh, but a few constituencies in Galway represented by Ministers were able to get it. It will go to the midlands in Tullamore. It was economical to connect it there but it was not viable to supply the county from where the gas was being piped.

It is time the Government woke up. The people of this country have had enough. I want to see that decision by the Minister reversed. I want the gas to be supplied to Belmullet and proper infrastructure in terms of roads, sewerage and water schemes provided in Erris, particularly now that natural gas from there will supply 80% of our economic needs for many years to come. I am sure with the gas there will be oil and it would be wrong to steal that natural resource from Erris. All the people of Erris will get is trouble. They have to take the risks and it would be a disgrace if the people of Erris did not gain from that. I call on the Government to rethink that decision immediately.

The regulator sees fit to protect the ESB regarding charges. For many years taxpayers paid for the infrastructure of the ESB so it could get up and running. When one receives one's electricity bill every month and sees all the listed charges, one notes that the actual electricity charge is not too bad. It is all the extra charges that cause trouble. The Government is cleaning up on VAT and we have to pay some old surcharge and another to be connected to the network.

When a poor person in a rural area wants to get an ESB pole moved from his land because it is obstructing him, the ESB quotes a price for its removal off the top of its head. It could amount to €25,000, €16,000 or €7,000. Who put the infrastructure in place only the hard-working taxpayer? Why should the ESB be allowed to behave in this way?

The regulator should not always be heeding big business. We were told there would be competition in our market, lower electricity costs and that the consumer would be protected. However, the consumer is not being protected. He is being ripped off. There will be many job losses over the coming months owing to the recent increases and they represent a step too far for industry and the employers. People must be protected.

An hour or two ago in my constituency there was a major accident resulting in the death of three young people. I offer my sympathy to their families. The deaths are bad news for the families and the coming days will be a tragic time in Ballinrobe and the county.

See this speech in context