Mark Dearey (Green Party)

Someone who changes a supplier will get the 5% PSO charge back plus another 9% in savings. That is sound advice to struggling households to assist them in finding a way out of the difficulty in which they may find themselves. The majority of householders, however, have not yet done that with only 26% making the change. I know the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has come in for some criticism for encouraging people to switch from the ESB. However, we need to encourage people to shop around for a different electricity supplier. Once the ESB's share of the domestic market is reduced to 60%, we will have a fully deregulated domestic sector. It is beholden on all of us to encourage such a development by telling it to those who visit our clinics and MABS advising people to make the switch to save 14% off their current bills. This should also be presented in an honest way by the Opposition.

I commend the amendment to the motion.