Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Is the Government aware that people who are reliant on district heating systems are paying exorbitant prices, well above the high prices being paid by everyone else? While district heating systems are sustainable and should be encouraged and promoted, they are placing a major financial burden on residents. This is not acceptable. I will give an example of the exorbitant costs. In one area in my constituency residents estimate that the cost of taking a shower is €12. Households that have cut down sharply on the use of hot water and are washing by filling basins rather than taking showers are still seeing huge increases in charges. Those charges have tripled in just one month. My understanding is that district heating systems are charged commercial rates rather than residential rates for gas due to a failure on the part of the Government to introduce regulations to protect households. Will the Minister of State confirm whether this is the case?

Residents, some of whom live with life-threatening illnesses, are coming down with infections. This is leading to costly visits to their GPs because they cannot access basic levels of heat and hot water. Residents in one part of my constituency are in a prepay district heating system. They are allowed to go into arrears of €10 and are then cut off entirely. They have no alternative. They cannot opt out and move to another system or provider. They have no choice. This means that some residents are living without heat, hot water or even fridges. This extreme situation cannot be allowed to continue and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Replies to parliamentary questions I have submitted to date on this matter suggest the Government intends to address this issue at some point in the future. No timeline has been given, but, potentially, it might happen in a year's time. This is not acceptable.

It is almost 100 years since local authorities began installing baths in local authority housing in order that social housing tenants could wash regularly without needing to resort to using basins in their kitchens. We are now back in a situation where social housing tenants are resorting to using basins to wash. They cannot afford to have showers because the Government has not addressed this issue. This is utterly unacceptable.

Will the Government take action as a matter of urgency to protect households reliant on district heating systems? What is the Government going to do to sort out this problem? When will action be taken? What timeline is the Government working to? Will the Government rectify this matter urgently - before Christmas - in order that people living in these dire circumstances can access the basics they need to live dignified lives? Does the Minister of State agree that the current situation is completely intolerable and unacceptable? Does he agree it cannot be allowed to continue? When will the Government act to bring regulations or legislation to address this matter?

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