Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)

That report will be published this week. If anyone wants a briefing on it with officials, it will be available to colleagues. It is important that people understand the risks we are trying to mitigate.

I restate that the programme for Government acknowledges the growing energy price and cost pressures on households and businesses and commits to bringing forward measures to contain these costs. The Government recently approved an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity by a further six months to October 2025. That will cost an estimated €85 million and it will be looked at again in the context of the budget.

My Department has established a cross-government energy affordability task force to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. It is crucial that we do that. The focus of the task force will be on medium- and long-term structural reform measures to address high energy costs in line with the EU action plan for affordable energy.

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