Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As I listen to the same issue being brought up again and again in this House, I am obliged to ask for how much longer the Irish people are meant to put up with being ripped off and exploited by electricity companies. Have much longer will businesses have to try to put up with this situation as well? I know for a fact that many small businesses have closed because the electricity prices were the straw that broke the camel's back. We need intervention here. The Government needs to hold the energy companies to account. A few years ago, the Rural Independent Group brought a motion of this type to the floor of the House. However, it did not refer to the transition to net zero because we do not agree with the climate action legislation. This is why I believe the motion before us is weak. It is certainly not as strong as the one we brought forward several years ago.

I wonder about the energy prices. These are €700 more expensive annually in Ireland than the EU average. Why is that the case? Why does the Government refuse to hold the energy companies to account? Why are its members allowing their constituents to be ripped off? Why is it allowing damage to be done to our small businesses when they are already finding it hard to survive with the impact of the debt warehousing levy, the VAT rate and everything else coming down on top of them? Why is the Government doing that and allowing this situation to continue? I again ask the Government to bring in the energy companies and stop this extortion once and for all.

In terms of wind farms, which are becoming very topical, I reiterate the need for new guidelines that will give communities protections. We have wind farms being imposed on communities in my county. Lemanaghan is a community rich in archaeological history, and a wind farm is being imposed on it against the wishes of the people. I reiterate my opposition to this project.

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