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

I was contacted by an elderly gentleman in my constituency who returned home from hospital recently and now has to use an oxygen supply at home. This is obviously increasing his energy bills considerably. His electricity bill recently arrived. It was for €1,248. He then received a revised bill, after his meter was read, of €1,700. He cannot afford this bill and he knows that he will not be able to afford that level of bills going forward. He is, of course, one of many. The question is, how are these people supposed to afford these bills month in, month out?

Like many Deputies in this House, including those on the Government benches, I have been advising and directing people to apply for an additional needs payment where they have unaffordable utility bills. Many in this House have done that as well, particularly for those people who are working and who are not able to access the fuel allowance. They have no supports whatsoever as they do not get the fuel allowance.

I was made aware this week of letters being returned by the community welfare service to applicants for this support telling them that they have to provide the service with evidence that they have engaged with the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, to negotiate with the energy provider before they will get emergency payments. I have been dealing with additional needs payments since they were introduced last June, yet this is the first I have heard of that. I am not actually sure whether MABS is aware of the requirement. This has not been communicated. It needs to be examined urgently instead of leaving people high and dry.

I would appreciate it if the Minister updated the House on the €10 million fund that he announced last December as part of the energy action plan, how it will help households and, in particular, when it will be introduced.

Electric Ireland needs to be proactive in its approach to dealing with people in energy poverty. It needs to write to all of its customers who are in debt and let them know of the supports available through MABS and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Unfortunately, it once again appears that it is up to the likes of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to pick up the tab and do the Government's job in supporting some of our most vulnerable citizens across the State. That should not be the case.

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