Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-11
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Peter Burke (FG), Longford-Westmeath

I thank Deputy Doherty for his question on an area which is very close to the concern of the Government, which is energy affordability in our country and the ability of households to pay. Something the Government keeps a very close track of is those who are in arrears for 90 days. It is a critical component that shows stress over a period of time.
I want to outline what the Government is doing to really reduce costs at the kitchen table, as the Deputy put it. First of all, we came forward with a record level in an EU context per capita of intervention to support families across the country. We are supporting families with the cost of fuel, which is very significant for those who are commuting to work, families who are working and families who are trying to heat their homes, by reducing excise duties across all components with a €16 reduction in petrol per fill and a €19 reduction in diesel. Also, looking at the logistics and how food is produced to reduce the cost of groceries on the shelves for consumers, we have done a huge package for agriculture in terms of production and in haulage, with a 60% increase in the diesel rebate scheme, again underwriting the cost to the housewife, the homemaker and the person in the home to ensure they get that key support.
There are a few areas I also want to comment on in relation to how we get energy independence and reduce the cost to the family. At this point we have 258,000 homes that have been through energy improvements. We have fully-funded 32,700 under the warmer homes scheme. That is 32,700 families across the country who have had that support. We have brought forward 18,000 heat pumps, again to support people - and using money raised by the State. We have about €558 million of the €640 million through those schemes through the SEA to target the most vulnerable in society. I note when Deputy Doherty brought forward his party's proposals earlier this year in a motion he left out the fuel allowance, meaning no recompense to support the most vulnerable people in a targeted way, which is key and absolutely needed.
The Government's position is very clear. We stood up the national affordability task force to look at affordability right across the economy to the household and particularly to the most vulnerable. That report will be published in advance of consideration for the budget. We will be looking, through that report, at energy prices in the first instance and second at addressing energy poverty and consumer protections - which are very important - as well as energy affordability. I ask people who are struggling to first of all engage with their supplier. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has been very clear in meeting all the energy companies and working with them to ensure people are not cut off, people who engage with them, and to support people.
We will obviously be coming forward as a Government, collectively, with other measures in the context of the next budget. As Deputies have seen in previous budgets, we were agile. We reacted before the calendar turned and supported families right across the economy and supported the most vulnerable, which is key, through our targeted measures in the current budget, which are still being utilised and are supporting families as we speak. It is key we ensure we continue to support families. We will be doing that through evidence-based initiatives, through our national affordability task force and through supporting customers who are in arrears. I would also say to people who are in trouble that they should reach out to our Department of Social Protection, which has a range of supports, including the additional needs payment, and works with families to ensure no one gets cut off. The fuel allowance has increased significantly to €152 per month to support families in a targeted measure. There are now about 460,000 homes right across the economy, which are being supported by it. We extended it this year to people on the working families payment, thereby bringing 50,000 more families into that support and linking it to work as well, to support people who are working right across the economy.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-11