Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-16
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Cian O'Callaghan (SD), Dublin Bay North

Is mian liom cúpla ceist a chur ar an Taoiseach faoi ghéarchéim an chostais mhaireachtála. Mar is eol dó, tá neart daoine ar fud na hÉireann ag streachailt le costais laethúla na tíre seo. Is deacair an rud é dóibh iad féin a bheathú nó na soilse a choinneáil ar siúl.
Eight energy companies have put up their prices in recent weeks. These increases will add hundreds of euro to people's energy bills, which are already the highest in Europe. We all know that Donald Trump and his disastrous war are to blame for rising prices but there are things the Taoiseach can do.
Why is it that Irish households are expected to shoulder the entire burden of these skyrocketing costs, especially when the profits of energy companies are booming? They have never been healthier. Just yesterday, the ESB announced its profits for the first six months of the year. They were up nearly €100 million. Today, we learned that its CEO is in line for a salary boost of a staggering €161,000, an increase of 51%. Energy companies are making enormous profits while pensioners go cold.
Instead of allowing this blatant and scandalous profiteering, the Government could introduce a windfall tax on their excess profits. The Taoiseach could take a stand by telling energy companies the burden of paying for these costs will not be borne by Irish households and that the people of this country, who are already paying the highest electricity prices in Europe, will not be bled dry. A windfall tax would push energy companies into reducing prices by threatening to take their entire excess profits. This would directly help households that are really struggling.
My questions are very straightforward and I would appreciate straightforward answers. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is immoral for these companies to be making such eye-watering profits? Will he introduce a windfall tax on their excess profits?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-16