Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to welcome the three electricity credits proposed, but I am incredibly disappointed that the Minister has decided to decrease the credit from €200 last year to €150 this year. These decisions should not be taken in isolation and the decision to slash these credits is one that has been roundly condemned by NGOs and charities, especially knowing that the average household bills have increased exponentially in one year. This is deeply disappointing and I am sure the vast majority of people in this country consider that money well spent last year and the Minister does not need to take my word for that. Just three weeks before the budget, the Seanad Fine Gael finance spokesperson, Senator Maria Byrne, said that at least three €200 electricity credits, spaced out across the winter should be given to householders, so they can have some level of certainty around their utilities budget. When we talk about wholesale prices and inflation, it is important to remember that there are now two major wars taking place in the world that have and will continue to further inflate the consumer price index, which rose by 6.4% between September of last year and September of this year.

According to Threshold, 29% of Irish households are now estimated to be living in energy poverty. That is the highest number ever recorded. One in eight is living in fuel poverty and that risk is heightened if one is a renter.

Nearly 14,000 electricity account holders did not receive their first credit last year due to a number of issues with meter point reference numbers, MPRNs. Can we please work to ensure the same does not happen this year and that, if nothing else, we can prove that some lessons can be learned by this Government.

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