Home Heating Oil (Emergency Mineral Oil Tax Reduction) Bill 2026: Second Stage [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-22
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Michael Cahill (FF), Kerry

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on home heating oil and the very real pressure energy costs are placing on households across Ireland. This is an issue that I hear about every day from constituents in County Kerry. For many families in rural Ireland, home heating oil is not something that can be simply replaced overnight. It is the main source of heating in their home and when the tank needs to be filled that can mean finding a significant amount of money at one time. This is a very real cost-of-living crisis. We all know that household finances remain under enormous pressure. The latest CSO figures show that 8.3% of households with utility bills had fallen into arrears in 2025 while of households experiencing enforced deprivation, 38.6% had failed to pay a utility bill on time because of financial difficulties. I do not think anyone in the House should underestimate the pressure families are facing.
We also have to recognise the circumstances in which the increase energy prices is being driven. The current energy shock has been significantly influenced by international events and volatility in global energy markets. The Government cannot control the price of oil on the international market but it can decide how best to support households through periods of exceptional pressure. There has already been a substantial Government response. In budget 2026, the weekly rate of the fuel allowance was increased and the qualifying criteria were extended. There has also been record investment in home energy upgrades and retrofitting, with €558 million for residential and community energy upgrades provided in budget 2026. These measures matter because, ultimately, the best way to protect households from high energy prices is not just to respond when those prices rise but also to make homes warmer and more energy efficient and reduce the amount of energy families need to purchase.
Budget 2027 is just two weeks away. The Government has already indicated that the measures relating to cost of living and home heating oil and further energy supports will be central to the budget. Changes to mineral oil tax can be dealt with through the budget and the financial resolution process. The responsible approach is to recognise the genuine hardship being experienced while allowing the Government to consider the full range of measures in the forthcoming budget for families in Kerry and right across rural Ireland who depend on home heating oil. I will be looking very closely at what budget 2027 delivers. We need to make sure that those who are under the greatest pressure get meaningful support while continuing the investment that will make our homes more energy efficient and that will reduce the pressure on people in the longer term.

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Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-22