Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yet again there is no sign of light at the end of the tunnel for those workers and families who continue to struggle with the crippling cost of energy on top of the continuing rise in the cost of living. Many Deputies, possibly including the Minister of State, are getting emails from constituents who are worried about their bills for the upcoming winter. They are worried about turning on the heat and the light. It has not been that cold yet, but it is certainly turning colder and they are fearful of what their bills will be like. They have gone through all their bills before and they are terrified of what those bills will be. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has reported that the number unable to heat their homes more than doubled in 2022 and has continued to rise in 2023. That is the reality. Here are some astonishing figures. The ESB reported €847 million in profits in 2022, including €676 million in the first six months. Energia had an operating profit of €354 million in the fiscal year ending in March 2023, up from €178 million the year before. SSE Airtricity reported €2.5 billion in profits in March 2023, up by €1.16 billion 2022. All this is happening while families continue to suffer. Unfortunately, the Government has not addressed the issue of the massive profits these companies are making on the backs of ordinary people who pay the bills.

See this speech in context