Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to have a couple of minutes to talk on behalf of business people, particularly those in County Kerry, and the enormous cost and imposition that the increase in energy costs has put on them. I want to say this because it is important. At a time when wholesale gas and energy prices have come down to the levels they were at before the war, why in the name of God are we being told we will have to wait for 12 months for our energy prices to decrease and for those price drops to descend to us? It is absolutely ridiculous.

I would like for others, including the Minister, to listen to the following statistic. I have a small shop on the side of the road. I would like to think it is an example of other small businesses throughout Kerry and Ireland. My bill used to be €1,500 to €2,000 for every 62 to 63 days. The last bill was €12,380. That is absolutely unsustainable. That is an increase of more than €10,000 over 63 days. That sort money is not in a business like that. The model cannot continue. Businesses thought the support scheme was going to be a lifeline to help them an awful lot but whatever way it was working out, it was not.

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