Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Deputy has made a fair point. He is right to say that those who are in distress are in more acute distress now than they were in 2008. I do not advance the fact that gas prices have decreased by 27% since then as any kind of excuse for them to increase. I do not know how much it is intended they will rise by as no figure has been set. The companies have put figures out there in broad terms. It is ultimately a matter for the regulator. It is true there are people in distress. I have raised this directly with the chief executive and chairman of the company. They have argued that they are going to great pains to introduce pay-as-you-go meters and other strategies to help those who find themselves in these circumstances. I hope we will be able to soften the blow. I do not know how severe the blow will be when it will come. I imagine the regulator will take all factors, not just submissions from the companies, into account.

See this speech in context