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

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 4, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “(e) The Minister shall make provision in the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme to identify those who own holiday homes or multiple properties and put in place a mechanism to ensure such individuals do not receive more than one electricity costs emergency benefit payments.

(f) The Minister shall make provision in the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme to identify those who are renting, to ensure renters receive the benefit of the electricity costs emergency benefit payment, and the Minister shall put in place a dispute resolution mechanism to resolve any disputes between renters and their landlords or property management companies over the electricity costs emergency benefit payment.

(g) The Minister shall make provision in the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme to ensure those who do not need the financial support from the electricity costs emergency benefit payment, can inform their electricity supplier to redirect their electricity costs emergency benefit payment to a charity that supports and helps those living in energy poverty.”.

I will speak to the amendment in my name and that of Deputy Pearse Doherty. The amendment seeks to address a number of weaknesses in the Bill. A number of amendments that were ruled out of order for various reasons also sought to improve the legislation.

This amendment seeks to deal with three issues, the first of which is the prospect of the payment being made to people who have holiday homes with potentially very little electricity use. These houses would only be used for some weeks of the year. The amendment also applies to people with multiple properties who would be in a position to receive multiple payments for their properties. At the very least, such situations do not reflect their electricity or energy use and the cost to them of electricity. This anomaly should be addressed, especially when considered in the context of the potential risk that people who are house sharing and splitting bills or whose names are not on the bill will miss out on this payment. Paragraph (f) of the amendment provides that renters would receive the benefit of the payment.

We call for a dispute resolution mechanism to be put in place. The Minister, in his Second Stage speech, indicated that such a provision will be made. When this payment is triggered, which is not happening nearly quickly enough, we need to ensure that those who are entitled to it get the benefit of it.

Paragraph (g) addresses a fundamental weakness of the measure, namely, its universal nature. It is not targeted. While the Government has made its case on that, it is a fundamental weakness. Despite other measures the Government has introduced, many people will still be below the waterline, even with this €100 payment. We are incredibly frustrated that the Government did not go further or take action earlier and that it has taken this long to reach this juncture. We set out in our pre-budget submission, and will set out in the days ahead, the course the Government should take. A fundamental part of that is a response that is reflective of the burden on individuals and families. We do not see that in the legislation. Paragraph (g) gives all those who do not need this support, including every Member of this House, an opportunity to forgo the payment and redirect towards charities working in the area of energy poverty.

The amendment would strengthen the Bill. Of the 11 amendments we submitted, ten have been ruled out of order. They also would have strengthened the Bill. I ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to support the amendment and take on board the contributions made on Second Stage by Deputies from across the political spectrum, particularly the Opposition, pointing out the weakness of this Bill. I appreciate that there are constraints on the Government with regard to the targeting of this measure but those constraints were self-inflicted by the Government. It has not done the work over the years to identify those living in energy poverty and at risk of energy poverty. There is no sophistication in the architecture of the State, including Department, to direct those resources in the way they should be directed. This is down to a lack of preparation.

The Government has indicated it will make proposals which, while not a mini-budget, will address the costs of living. I ask that the weaknesses of the Bill be addressed in the suite of measures that are brought forward. Sinn Féin would be more than happy to advise in that regard.

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