Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on this important issue. I also thank Sinn Féin for putting forward the motion because it is important we debate it. While it is one of a number of similar motions over the past while, it shows the importance of the issue as well.

I am fully in support of this motion in its intention to address the rising energy costs. It is completely inexcusable that more has not been done by the Government to address these costs yet. There seems to be a complete lack of awareness of and, sadly, of care for families who have been hit the hardest due to increasing energy costs and who are constantly being pushed to the brink with no end in sight. People cannot be expected to continue as they have done over the past few months. Costs are spiralling out of control and with no sign of this stopping any time soon, households are getting increasingly desperate and frustrated at this never-ending spiral.

We have all seen the shocking price hike announced by Bord Gáis Energy last week. An increase in the average electricity bill by 27% and in the average gas bill by 39% from April is an incredible jump that will create an incredible burden. It has been reported that due to this price hike households' energy bills could rise by approximately €700 per family per year. This is nearly the equivalent of an average monthly mortgage repayment. It is like having another mortgage month a year on top of already high energy bills.

Due to Bord Gáis Energy's price jump, many energy providers are expected to follow suit. Electric Ireland has stated that it has not ruled out an increase as it is exposed to the same wholesale electricity and gas prices as other providers.

Increases such as these particularly affect constituents of mine in Donegal who depend wholly on petrol and oil, and turf, rather than gas or anything else. Indeed, we all know there is no chance of supposedly cheaper natural gas coming to Donegal anyway. What is more, Greenleaf Bioenergy stated that it is unlikely there will ever be a gas pipeline into Donegal. Not only is there no alternative, but we have been advised there never will be one. It seems the nickname of "the forgotten county", once again, rings true as Donegal has been left behind as per usual.

It is clear that urgent action is needed and yet despite all the recent price hikes and the threat of even further hikes, the Government has to date stated it is not planning any further cost-of-living measures this side of the budget. I was absolutely appalled to hear this. People are struggling to make ends meet and parents are struggling to put food on the table. Not only is the Government refusing to help them but it is actually intending to punish them further with the introduction of the carbon tax increase in May. This tax increase will further increase the price of home-heating oil, gas and solid fuels and the last thing that is needed at this crisis time is further increases. How do we expect people to survive at all?

Government Deputies cannot stand here and say they care about the people of this country and of their constituency while they do nothing to ease the burden of families at the mercy of continuous rising costs. The decision of the Government to go ahead with the carbon tax increase on households, given these out-of-control costs, would be unforgivable. The carbon tax as it exists will do nothing but push people further into fuel poverty and do little to make any sort of real change and we need to see structural change on a larger level.

Of course, the Minister will say probably in his concluding remarks that the Government has already introduced a package that will give €200 a year off the electricity bills of consumers. That is correct. It will do so but it will give €200 a year off a millionaire's electricity bill. A millionaire who owns four or five houses will get four or five times the €200 off bills whereas somebody dependent on social welfare will get the same amount of €200. That is wrong. The excuse the Government gave at the time was that it could not change it because it did not have time to implement a proper scheme to provide for that. That was last October, when the Government announced it. The provision still has not come in. It will not come in until April or May, and yet there still was not time to introduce a proper scheme. Why should I get €200 off my electricity bill when I can afford it and people on lower incomes than I are getting punished? We should be putting a proper scheme in place that benefits people who need it. That is the least we could be doing.

In last year's budget, I put forward ideas on how Ireland could be energy independent in the next ten years using only wind and hydroelectric power, through, for example, the Spirit of Ireland project that has been talked about in Donegal which will look to harness our significant wind energy potential by using our natural coastal valleys to provide hydroelectric storage reservoirs. Wind farms could be used to pump seawater into these reservoirs which would then be passed through turbines generating significant amounts of power. Indeed, three of those projects along the west coast would provide all the energy that is required for the country to manage it and it would make wind power available all the time to the country as well. These are the types of ideas and projects that should be progressed. Wind and hydroelectric projects not only have the potential to reduce our dependence on imported energy and fossil fuels, but would also address the cost-of-living crisis we currently find ourselves in. Furthermore, wind and hydroelectric projects could create jobs and benefit us significantly economically.

Something needs to be done. The Government cannot continue to try to price people in this country out of existence. Families are running out of options and are being forced to make impossible choices - heat or food, electricity or rent. What we require is more creativity in how we address the problems we face but the way we address these problems should never be at the expense of ordinary citizens.

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