Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Barry. There is an elephant in the room when it comes to the cost-of-living crisis facing ordinary people. It is an elephant the Government, in particular, does not want to talk about and denies exists. That is the profiteering by big energy companies in this country.

The Government has denied it but we have the proof. Energia, in the six months up to the end of September 2021, announced three price increases. In those same six months, it made more than €130 million in profits. That is a 51% increase year on year. Stop to think about that for a minute: hiking up prices while profits are soaring.

For some of us, the high price of energy is a cause of poverty and of choosing between heating and eating, but for others, it is the source of riches. Big companies, in particular, that generate energy Corrib gas, wind and hydropower have taken the opportunity to drive up prices while their costs remain the same. The result is massive windfall profits in the process. We need a special windfall tax on the profits of the big energy companies and we need to use that money to invest in bringing down energy bills for ordinary people.

High energy prices hit those who are already struggling. Ireland has among the highest deaths from cold-related diseases. Some 2,800 people die per year. Those worst affected are the elderly, single parents and their children, and Travellers. However, the Government's proposals for tackling the energy and cost-of-living crises are hopelessly inadequate, and I think it knows it. A much more fundamental programme of measures is essential.

The Government does not want to talk about it but it has the power to impose maximum price orders on electricity, home heating oil and gas. It should use that power. Do not say it is not possible because the costs are going up. Look at the profits I just pointed to in the form of Energia. Cut into those profits with a maximum price order to ensure people can afford to heat their homes.

The Government will impose a carbon tax increase in May. It should withdraw it. It should withdraw the carbon tax, which is entirely ineffective from the point of view of tackling climate change and puts the burden on ordinary people. The Government should order an immediate rent freeze and then set up an independent rental review board that would enable tenants to seek rent reductions, because that is what is necessary.

We have the most expensive childcare service in Europe. We need a publicly run, not-for-profit system to provide high-quality care that is urgently needed, while removing the ruinously expensive costs of private childcare.

The Government has cut public transport fares by 20%. We welcome that, but why not go the whole way? Why not make public transport free? Why not make a real difference to the cost of living for many people while sharply reducing carbon emissions? Transport is the number two emitting sector in Ireland.

The figures given are interesting. The Government now estimates a €54 million cost of a 20% fare cut for nine months. That indicates a full-year cost of making public transport free for everybody of €360 million. That is substantially less than the Government has always indicated to us in parliamentary questions the cost would be when we have been campaigning for free public transport. The Government should do it, but obviously that is not enough. We need to invest and then extend public transport nationwide in order that it is free, frequent and fast throughout the cities and towns of Ireland.

The other point I want to make is essential to this. I saw Patrick O'Donovan referenced as being on a radio station this morning saying we had to have Shannon LNG because the wind did not blow all the time etc. That is just a recipe for continuing with fossil fuel dependency. There should be no more fossil fuel infrastructure whatsoever and there should be a rapid transition to renewable energy.

A vital part of achieving that rapid transition is reducing energy usage. That is why are opposed to the expansion of data centres. It is not possible to walk down an upwards-moving escalator. We have to reduce energy usage in this country. A crucial way to do this is a programme of retrofitting.

I do not mean a scheme of the kind the Government has, whereby if you have €25,000 the State will match it and then you can do it. I want a scheme that on a public basis creates huge numbers of green jobs to retrofit at zero upfront cost to the householder and then shares the benefit over a period of 15 or 20 years between the householder and the State. The State can borrow at practically 0% right now. The upfront cost of this would be €2 billion but over time it absolutely pays for itself in the benefit to the householder of having a warm, well-insulated house, saving money on energy bills and from the point of view of all of in society through reduced energy usage and carbon emissions.

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