Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Rourke for bringing this motion before the House. Unless this Government is completely disconnected, it knows the fear and anxiety that people have in their homes this winter about just trying to keep the lights and electricity on.

The low take-up of the hardship funds needs to be investigated because there is a complete mismatch between the anxiety and the stress that people are undergoing and take-up of those funds. Is it that people are not aware of them? Many people who find themselves in the situation of being unable to pay their bills are those who have never, ever, found themselves in such a situation before. I ask that something be done to communicate to people that there is a hardship fund under MABS and that people need to use it. We need to see if there are blockages along the way.

The Minister of State also said that no customer should stay on a pay-as-you-go meter. Is the message he is sending out one that people can easily transfer from a pay-as-you-go meter to bill pay? People will welcome that, but we need to make sure that there are no blockages. As was said earlier, enormous profits are being made by energy companies. That money is coming directly out of the people who are suffering most in this community.

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