Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The €250 energy credit does not go far enough, as my colleagues have said. It is quite simply a gesture and does nothing to address runaway energy costs in this State under this Government. The Government has put together a once-off stunt while it has studiously avoided addressing the outrageous burden that these energy costs place on workers and their families. Householders are paying 60% more for their electricity than they did in December 2020. We have an energy market that does not function for families but instead prioritises the profits of these companies. Therefore, while we support the credit it does not go far enough and again the Government has ducked reforming our energy sector. Irish households pay the highest electricity costs in Europe yet wholesale prices have fallen and this has not been passed on to Irish consumers.

The first credit will be taken by a rise in the public service obligation levy, so there will be no real benefit to householders.

In our alternative budget, we propose a credit of €450 at an overall cost of €900 million. It would have provided families with a break while we work towards ridding our energy system of the dysfunction that prevails in it, such as decoupling wholesale gas prices from the price of electricity and ensuring network charges are justifiable rather than just a profit grab. Network charges are again due to increase by €100 and will be reflected in consumer bills under the standing charge. The Government has treated the energy companies with kid gloves and that needs to change.

We will support the Government's gestural credit as consumers need something but what is really needed is a change of Government, a change in approach to our energy market and a commitment to reduced energy costs, as has happened in other European countries.

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