€400 energy credit latest as Doherty blasts ‘wait & see’ Govt & thousands of Irish face fresh hike amid €511 bill pain

THE Government has been urged to reintroduce energy credits after it was revealed that over 500,000 households are in arrears on their bills.

Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty said people across Ireland are “exhausted” after years of rising costs and called on the Government to “ease the pressure” for families, workers and pensioners before fresh hikes make an impact.

Speaking in the Dail during Leaders’ Questions, the Donegal TD said: “You still have an opportunity to act before these latest price increases take effect.

“Timely action now, including energy credits, would ease the pressure on workers, families and pensioners who are already struggling to keep up.

“So, will you act now? Will you listen?  Will you provide energy credits as an immediate solution for people who are really struggling? 

“And what exactly is your answer to the hundreds of thousands of families who are facing mounting energy costs and financial strain?”

Doherty called for the reintroduction of energy credits – which were first introduced in 2022 and have so far been worth €1,450 per household – following new figures from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities.

He accused the Government of adopting a “wait and see” approach as Ireland faces the highest electricity prices in Europe after the energy credits were axed from Budget 2026.

The CRU said 318,735 homes – one in seven across the State – were behind with their electricity bills at the end of March.

And the number of homes in difficulty with their gas bills topped one in four at 183,468.

The CRU report stated that the amount owed on the average electricity bill in arrears crept up four per cent to €511.09, and gas bill arrears were up 11 per cent at €229.56.

And Doherty today warned that thousands more households will face higher bills after Electric Ireland last month confirmed it is increasing electricity prices by eight per cent and gas prices by 7.7 per cent from July 1.

At the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in April, Mary Lou McDonald called for the introduction of energy credits worth €400.

And reissuing the call for energy credits today, Doherty claimed people who had never been in trouble before were coming to him struggling with bills.

He declared: “Minister, you point to economic growth, your Government points to record tax revenues.

“You point to budget surpluses running into billions of euro. But none of those things can reduce the bills landing on kitchen tables every month.

“And none of those things change the reality facing hundreds of thousands of families that are struggling with the cost of essential services.”

Responding, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said the Government is acting at a “record” level, adding that the Coalition had produced the biggest package in a European context to help families.

The Fine Gael TD said: “As you 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 to our targeted measures in the current budget, which still are being utilised and are supporting families as we speak.

“So it’s key that we ensure we continue to support families.

“We’ll be doing that through evidence-based initiatives, through our National Affordability Taskforce, through supporting customers who are in arrears.”

Minister Burke urged anyone struggling with bills to engage with their supplier or the Department of Social Protection.

He said: “I would ask people who are struggling to first of all, engage with your supplier. Minister O’Brien has been clear in meeting with all the energy companies, working with them to ensure people are not cut off who engage with them.

“We’ll coming forward as a Government collectively with other measures in the context of the next budget.”

He added: “I would also say to people who are in trouble to reach out to our Department of Social Protection, where you have a range of supports from the Additional Needs Payment, working with families to ensure that no one gets cut off.”