Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise with the Taoiseach the cases of two elderly people who have contacted me over the past two days. Kitty from Trim, County Meath, is over 100 years old. Her electricity bill with Electric Ireland from 7 December 2022 to 3 February, 59 days, is €957.49 after all subsidies. I have Kitty's bill here. Her previous bill was €133.42. Her electricity usage involves a fridge, a washing machine, an immersion heater, lighting and two electric heaters on timers, with no central heating. Gerry Clarke, 77 years old, from Ballivor, County Meath, told me I could use his name. He received his Electric Ireland bill this week. It amounts to €1,678.65. His previous bill was for €671, and the one before that was for €290. His bill of €1,678.65 works out at €26.22 a day over 64 days, not the highest price in Europe for domestic use but the highest in the world. Is it any wonder that a third of all households are experiencing energy poverty? The Government and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, need to get the finger out and deal with these energy companies, which are making massive profits on the back of pensioners and the Irish public in a cost-of-living crisis

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