Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I wish to make three proposals as to how approximately 200,000 pay-as-you-go gas and electricity customers can be protected from the threat of disconnection this winter. The first is to allow customers to transfer from pay-as-you-go bill pay without any obstacles, such as by removing the €199 transfer charge for gas, etc. Disconnections are already banned on bank holidays, Saturdays, Sundays and at other times for pay-as-you-go customers. My second proposal is that the Government could extend the days on which disconnections are banned to any day with a "Y" in it, up to the end of winter, at least. The third is that the Government could introduce a version of the Covid emergency credit, which allowed pay-as-you-go customers an emergency credit of €100 for gas. The number would need to be higher, of course, but there should be no cost to the State. All measures should be financed from the handsome profits of the energy companies. What does the Taoiseach say to these proposals?

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