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

On Sunday the Taoiseach said prepay energy customers will not be cut off. Today he says prepay customers should not be cut off. Which one is it? You are the Taoiseach and you have the power to prevent the disconnections. What you are actually saying today is that these people have got enough money and sure it will be their own fault if they run out and are not able to put money in their meter. However, the Government has not given them enough money. These are some of the most vulnerable people in our country and it is a simple technical question. The Government can extend the emergency credit so prepay customers will not be cut off. If you are on a bill, once the moratorium comes in you are protected and will not be cut off but as things stand prepay customers can be cut off. If they do not put money in their meter they will run through the €20 overdraft, which is the only real thing the CRU has done to protect people. That €20 is half a week's electricity and then those people can be cut off. I am looking, and I would say they are too, for a guarantee that no prepay customers will be cut off this winter.

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