The Tanaiste yesterday promised more measures to tackle the cost- of-living crisis as another energy supplier increased prices.
Flogas became the latest firm to announce a hike, with electricity to go up by 27% and gas by 29% from May 7.
The company justified the move as a result of the “unprecedented and sustained rise in wholesale gas prices and the associated rise in wholesale electricity costs”.
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The news come as data from the Central Statistics Office shows inflation now sits at 6.7%, the largest annual spike since November 2000.
During Leaders’ Questions in the Dail, Leo Varadkar admitted the scheduled rise in the carbon tax in the coming weeks will see the cost of gas grow by €1.50 and a tank of home heating oil by €20 a month.
He told TDs: “The CSO is just confirming what people have been experiencing in the last six months.”
But he defended the Government’s measures so far, pointing to a scheme to boost crop production in Ireland and a cut to excise duty on fuel.
He added: “That isn’t small and it is much greater than has been done by other governments around Europe.”
Mr Varadkar said the Government did plan to mitigate the rise in carbon tax for the most vulnerable but gave no detail of what this would look like.
He told Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty: “We will bring in measures before May to offset that increase.”
The session descended into a row, with Mr Doherty stating: “We need a mini-budget. We need a Government that gets it.”
Mr Varadkar hit back: “No matter what anybody says, you will say we’re out of touch and we don’t get it.”
Addressing the Tanaiste, Labour leader Ivana Bacik called for action on the minimum wage.
She said a “targeted emergency increase” in the €10.50 per hour payment would be one way of “addressing the serious squeeze” on low-income households.
Meanwhile, Flogas has vowed to help customers left badly stretched by its price rise “as much as possible”.
General manager Paul Kenny said: “Almost half of our customers have a smart meter installed and we are encouraging them to switch to a smart meter tariff that can deliver considerable savings.
“Switching is easy, it only takes a few minutes, has cost savings and eliminates estimated bills.”
Smart meter customers can switch to a “time of use” electricity Smart price-plan, which the company states “allows customers to make an immediate saving on their energy costs”.
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Flogas Energy’s announcement comes just two days after Iberdrola Ireland revealed higher prices will take effect from May 5.
The average bill of gas customers will rise by 11%, adding around €12 to the total, while electricity charges will increase by 24%, making average bills €33 more expensive.
PrePayPower was the first company to announce fresh increases last month for its pay-as-you-go meter customers. With three rises in the last year, electricity prices went up by 9.9% and gas bills by 19.9% from April 1.
Bord Gais Energy revealed on March 15 that its average electricity bill would rise by 27% and the average gas bill by 39% from April 15.
Energia announced on March 25 it was increasing its home energy prices from April 25 – when average bills will go up by 15%.
ESB’s Electric Ireland said on March 30 its electricity charges would jump by 23.4% and gas by 24.8% from May 1, meaning the average electricity customer will pay an extra €300 a year and gas customers an extra €220 a year.
And SSE Airtricity announced on April 1 its prices will rise from May 1, with electricity costs up 24% on average, gas bills 32.3% and dual fuel bills 27.5%.
According to Environment Minister Eamon Ryan, the €200 energy credit is to start appearing on bills this month.
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