Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Just like the Taoiseach yesterday, when we raised the need for a ban on evictions to keep people in their homes, the Minister spent most of his response reiterating what was in the budget. Some of what is in the budget, particularly for those on fixed incomes and who rely on social welfare, is welcome. However, we are talking about householders who face disconnection. A total of 715 households have already been disconnected in the first part of this year alone, before we get to the winter period. We do not have certainty as to the timeline for the electricity credits.

Of course, we would have taken different steps and made different decisions in order to provide certainty to households. The vast majority of people and households do not receive the fuel allowance. They are being left extremely vulnerable because they do not have supports in regard to energy prices, which are increasing, and they do not have as easy access as the Government contends they do to the additional needs payment, in respect of which it is taking between five and eight weeks for a decision to be made. If you have a utility bill, you cannot wait two months for a decision on emergency financial assistance. I am speaking specifically about a ban on disconnections for householders who are on prepaid meters, of whom there are 346,000. They will take no comfort from the Minister's response.

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