Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also extend a very warm welcome to our friends from Malawi.

A report by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, yesterday revealed that since March 2022 wholesale electricity costs have fallen by 57%. Yet, electricity bills have soared by 63% for households in that same time. It is very clear, therefore, that these savings are not being passed on to consumers. While big companies’ profits keep rising, workers and families continue to be fleeced.

The real-life impact of these extortionate costs is felt in homes the length and breadth of the State. Last week, my colleague, Deputy Clarke, shared the story of an elderly woman in Laois who is unable to pay for a headstone for her late husband’s grave. Why is this the case? It is because she was hit by a huge energy bill she simply cannot afford. She is distraught and her family found her sitting at home alone in the dark, terrified to turn on the lights for fear of her next bill. That is the reality of what these unaffordable energy costs mean for people.

On 1 March, when challenged about these costs, the Taoiseach stood in this Chamber and said he would take action if companies did not pass on the savings. Let me remind the Taoiseach of his words at that time. He said:

“We expect to see electricity and gas companies reduce their prices over the course of the coming months for businesses and residential customers. It will not just be about polite encouragement.”

We are 12 weeks on and not one energy company has reduced its prices for domestic customers. While everything has changed for big companies, nothing has changed for ordinary people who are still being hit with these unaffordable bills. What will the Taoiseach do beyond polite encouragement and cosy chats, to get these savings passed on to customers? While he fails to act, ordinary people pay the price.

We saw the same approach when it came to spiralling food costs. People are struggling with grocery bills and need help urgently, but what did they get from the Government? They got a meaningless encounter between the Government and food retailers, while prices continue to soar and families suffer. The Taoiseach said a fortnight ago that there is profiteering from food retailers. What has he done to address that? Has he contacted retailers to confront them? Has he sent them the dossier compiled by the Minister about this gouging? All we seem to get is PR stunts and no change, as well as optics and no action.

Tá daoine buailte le costais mhóra mhillteacha agus ní féidir leo níos mó a thógáil. Tháinig laghdú ar chostais mórdhíola fuinnimh i gcomhair na comhlachtaí móra.

Ach tá sé soiléir nach bhfuil na coigiltí seo á gcur ar aghaidh chuig teaghlaigh. Ní mór don Railtas cinntiú go gcuirfear na coigiltí seo ar aghaidh ionas go laghdófar billí na ndaoine anois. Agus ní mór dúinn freisin gealltanais shoiléire a fheiceáil, ní gealltanais doiléire.

People cannot take any more. The time for excuses is over. People need to see costs come down now. My questions to the Taoiseach are as follows. He said there is price gouging by the big food retailers, so what is he doing to end it? Is there price gouging by the energy companies? What will he do about this? He said there would be more than polite encouragement, so what is he doing to confront big companies and ensure that prices come down?

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