The Government called for the ECB to increase interest rates earlier this year and now they are suffering as a result of that.

Yesterday, at the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Ms Lisa Hone of the Mica Action Group spoke of how one year after the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced his intention to bring forward a new redress scheme, households felt abandoned by this Government. They remained locked out of the scheme and facing a shortfall of tens of thousands of euro to rebuild their homes and their lives. Ms Hone described in her own words how thousands of families are enduring life in…

Táim buíoch as an deis seo labhairt ar an Bhille Airgeadais, 2022. There is no doubt but that our economy and society are faced with another crisis. Following on from the financial crisis, Brexit and a global pandemic, we have been thrust into an energy crisis that threatens living standards and will test the resilience of our economy and society. This is all set against a backdrop of failures in housing and healthcare that continue to test the patience of households, their security and hopes for the future. Househ…

I thank Deputy O'Rourke for introducing this motion. I call on all Deputies to support it. The lack of reliable public transport in the north west means that households have fewer options for travel and are more dependent on their cars in order to access basic services and commute to and from work and school. This is even more stark now as the cost of running a car has shot up. This reflects the real cost of Government underinvestment in the north west, including my county, Donegal. The people of the north west nee…

Tá an babhta is déanaí d’arduithe i bpraghsanna fuinnimh atá á fhógairt ag comhlachtaí fuinnimh ag cur brú millteanach airgeadais ar oibrithe agus ar theaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit. Sa chéad leath den bhliain seo, dícheanglaíodh leictreachas in os cionn 700 teaghlach agus gás in os cionn 300 teaghlach. Caithfidh an Rialtas cosc dícheangail a thabhairt isteach anois agus cinntiú go mbeidh an cosc i bhfeidhm dóibh siúd atá ag úsáid méadar réamhíoctha. We need a real plan from the Government that ensures that every singl…

The Minister said the Government will look at this "if there are any gaps". Let me point out the gap. There are 450,000 households that the Government has abandoned. The Minister spoke about energy credits. They are welcome and they will be available to people but there is also a ban on disconnections for hundreds of thousands of people who use bill payment. Why is that? It is because the Government recognises that this winter is going to be severe and that there should be a ban but for 450,000 people on prepay met…

Why do we have a ban on others being disconnected?

You have absolutely abandoned them.

You have abandoned them.

You have a guarantee that your electricity will not be disconnected, but 450,000 people have been abandoned by you.

Some 450,000 households have been abandoned by your Government and you have the cheek here to smirk across the floor.

Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, published a report which found that only half of our sewage is being treated to EU standards and that over 2.5 million tonnes of raw sewage in 32 of our towns and villages is being pumped into our seas and rivers every year. Eight of those are in my home country. In 2015 I submitted a complaint to the European Commission about the State's failure to deliver a sewerage scheme in my home town of Gaoth Dobhair. The Commission took infringement proceedings against th…

Ba mhaith liom fosta céad míle fáilte a chur roimh Uachtarán na Portaingéile agus an fhoireann iomlán atá in éindí leis. Tá míle fáilte rompu agus tá súil agam go mbainfidh siad sult as an turas. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. Many have waited a long time for the introduction of this legislation, too long a time. All customers, whatever the company, product or service concerned, have the right to be treated fairly and have their interests upheld. At the very least, they should be safe in th…

Workers and families are facing a cost-of-living crisis. They are seeing mounting energy bills and massive strain being put on their household finances. Many of them are facing sleepless nights. They are facing the stress of how they can keep on top of mounting bills, how they can heat their homes and how they can keep the lights on as we approach winter. The Government has refused the opportunity to provide certainty to households with a cut and a cap on electricity bills over the winter months, which is a mistake…

Ba mhaith liom ceist a ardú leis an Tánaiste faoi na costais atá ag cur isteach go mór ar theaghlaigh. Tá an geimhreadh ag bualadh linn agus tá imní ar theaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit faoi chostais fhuinnimh. Tá eagla orthu go bhfuil praghsanna ag dul in airde agus in airde agus nach mbeidh go leor fágtha acu chun billí a íoc agus na soilse a choinneáil ar siúl. Tá polasaí ag an Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, nach mbeidh cead ag na comhlachtaí fuinnimh tithe a dhícheangal le linn an gheimhridh, ach ní bha…

The Tánaiste spoke about what was done in the budget. He was wrong about what we suggested. We did have double payments, cash payments and all the rest. I will not go into that because it is a different issue.

Even with the budget announcement, there is a guarantee for many customers that from December right through to February, no matter how difficult they find it to pay their bills, their electricity will not be turned off. The lights will stay on for those customers. Then there are those 346,000 customers who do not have that commitment. That is the issue we are dealing with here. It is an issue of fairness, equality and making sure all customers are treated the same. The Tánaiste spoke about a €20 energy credit. The …

That is not true.

And €15 in the State pension.

Why does the Tánaiste have to mislead all the time?