Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

For the past two years, Sinn Féin has been warning the Government that our electrically pricing system is dysfunctional. It is not working for the people but is clearly working for the companies which, through extended Government inaction, have made eye-watering profits off the backs of ordinary families. This has been allowed to continue right through until one part of the legislation that was supposed to deal with it was reintroduced in the House only recently. It took the best part of a year for that legislation to be introduced and the Government failed to address profits when they were at their peak in 2022.

The people in this country, like many people in Tipperary who have come to me at their wits' end about energy costs, have been let down. The one-off payments which were provided were eaten up as soon as they came in and people were left feeling little relief. The Government gives with one hand and it takes back with the other and people are left no better off.

In government Sinn Féin would provide the energy regulator with the power to stamp out anti-competitive behaviour and to regulate standing charges because this is a real issue which is impacting on the pressures that people face when their bills come in. We will force the hand of the energy companies by setting a price above which they cannot charge consumers and by reducing energy bills for households at a time of crisis. Any measures which help struggling families are welcome but when it comes to taking on the energy companies, this Government is short on courage and very long on delays.

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