Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like householders, businesses are seeing a dramatic increase in their energy bills. Owners of supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and many other businesses locally have been highlighting to me the threefold increase they are seeing in their electricity and gas bills. It is just not sustainable for them. Not alone is it wiping out any profit but it is costing them to open the door and do business. Many of them have already taken a number of different steps, including reducing their energy costs by changing fridges, for example, reducing opening hours and closing their deli counter. That is having a knock-on effect on staff and their income, putting them under further pressure. The cost of installing any new energy-efficient equipment will put huge pressure on businesses as well. There will need to be support for them to do that.

I remind the Tánaiste that many of these retailers worked through the pandemic. Local businesses are an important part of the fabric of a community. They provide the first job for many people and they sponsor community groups and others. It is essential that they are kept operating.

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