Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the 12 months to September, the price of electricity rose by 21%, gas by 14% and home heating oil by a staggering 46%. We need to stretch every sinew to protect households from energy poverty this winter. Budget 2022 clearly failed to do that. The Minister has read out a response that is outdated as regards the EU directive. He will be mindful of the toolbox the Commission agreed, which does allow for rebates, although he has just put on the record that rebates are not allowed. I am sure he is aware of what his colleague in the Czech Republic is doing, where legislation has been passed to zero-rate energy bills for the winter months. It appears the Commission is going to allow that to happen. We are asking the Minister to stand up and have the backs of the households in question. The two ways of doing that are to look at the toolbox in order to grant rebates over the winter months, or engage with the Commission, as the Czech Republic is doing, to try to take the pressure off those households.

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