Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)

One of the frustrating things about the report from the steering group is that it is just an interim report. We have been told there will be a roadmap. If you were to be cynical, you would say that we first had a report and will now have a roadmap that will not be published until some time in 2026. It is really the destination that we are looking for. The report reaffirms what we have been saying for a long time, which is that no more than lip service is being paid to the crisis and that, because the energy credits were ripped away, energy bills are set to soar.

The Minister mentioned energy bills. According to the report, energy bills will reach €1,900 with a real risk they will rise again, given what we saw over the summer. Our energy prices are already some of the highest in Europe. Net electricity prices are the highest while gas prices are the fifth highest. Households pay, on average, €350 per year more for electricity and €150 more for gas. There has been a spate of price hikes across the summer. Will the Government consider reintroducing the supports?

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