Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming in to discuss this important issue. The cost of living, and particularly energy costs, is something I have picked up on from working with and visiting older people. I know a number of older people who have local authority homes changed over to electricity recently. One elderly lady who lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen-cum-sitting room received a bill for €750. That is a huge cost. Some of these people do not have the heating on all the time. This is about how we are addressing this issue. That particular lady was in fear of her next bill. My big concern is that some people did not put on their heating during the winter and instead suffered the cold.

While prices have started to come down a little bit, on the other hand we see energy companies making huge profits. There has to be a balance between those profits and the cost. As a Government, we should be doing something to support people. It is not just about older people, but it is about younger families as well.

I contacted some of the utility companies on people's behalf. One person was given a credit note for €300 because the company thought that it was a very high cost for somebody living alone. I am very grateful for that. However, not all the utility companies are as good at responding.

Families are also affected. If they have children playing sports, they are using showers every day. Running numerous showers and the other electrical appliances within the home drives up the bill. I look forward to hearing what the Minister of State has to say on how the Government is going to help to address this issue.