Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister answered not one of the questions I put to him. He is the Minister with responsibility for energy, yet the only thing we hear is successive energy providers telling customers they are hiking up the prices and there has been nothing from him. There has been deafening silence from the Minister. Bord Gáis Energy is putting €775 on the bill of a household and Electric Ireland some €518. What is the Minister with responsibility for energy saying? Nothing.

I will put the questions again. Has the Government formally sought the derogation to reduce VAT on energy bills? Does the Minister support the reduction of VAT on energy bills down to zero? When will this process be concluded? The ESB has made profits of close to €700 million and paid dividends of more than €100 million to the State.

Its subsidiary, Electric Ireland is the biggest provider of energy in this State and has just told its customers it is ramping up prices with respect to both the unit cost and standing charge. Has the Minister talked to the ESB about ensuring these are reduced as far as possible to support customers? Will the Minister, who has responsibility for energy, please say something that is relevant to the price increases happening to every single household throughout this State?

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