Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to be too argumentative the first week back but the Sinn Féin proposal to help people with their energy bills was to subsidise these massive energy companies. Its proposal was to give our taxpayers’ money to the energy companies. That was bonkers, in fairness, but I believe Sinn Féin reflected on it and changed its policy. Sinn Féin was not a big fan of the energy credits and I do not believe it committed to them even in its manifesto. It is now jumping on every bandwagon going.

We are going to take action. Energy costs are real, and I do not disagree with the Deputy that the cost of energy in Ireland is too high and a real cause of worry for people. I am telling him and, more important, the people of this country today what we are doing to help those in need. The fuel allowance season will be kicking off on Monday for more people than ever before. That will make a real difference to the Deputy’s constituents and mine, with more benefiting in his county and mine than ever before. I am also telling him about other practical measures we have taken in the here and now, including reducing the rate of VAT on people’s energy bills. That was a practical measure. It was a costly measure but the right thing to do.

I do agree, however, on this: there is a structural issue in relation to our energy market that we need to get on top of. That is why one of the first steps the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, took was to establish the task force on energy affordability. The first thing it was asked to do was look specifically at measures that can be taken for this winter and measures that can inform the Government in advance of the budget. I expect the Minister to receive the report very shortly.

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