Almost one in four people are now behind on their gas bills, the energy watchdog has told the Dáil energy committee.
On hearing the latest worrying statistics, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is “very concerned” about the rising numbers of domestic customers in arrears.
Sinn Féin chief, Mary Lou McDonald, who said the cost of living crisis is now “out of control.”
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The CRU (Commission for the Regulation of Utilities) told the Oireachtas energy and environment committee on Tuesday that 23% of the country’s 700,000 gas customers are now behind in their bill payments.
And over in the Dáil main chamber it was the main issue raised during Leaders’ Questions.
It was first raised by Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald.
She said: “People’s finances are pushed to the very brink.
“They are hammered by sky-high energy bills, soaring food bills, runaway rents, mortgage interest rate hikes and a cost-of-living crisis that is hitting them from all sides.”
She added: “Your Government sits on its hands.”
The Taoiseach addressed the issue with reporters on the way into yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
He said: “I’m very concerned to hear that over 20 per cent of people are in arrears on their gas bills.”
Mr Varadkar said he expects energy prices to go down later in the year adding: “Certainly we’re calling on the companies to do that.”
Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan, was speaking outside the Dáil at a transport sustainability plan launch at ESB headquarters on Merrion Square, he said: “it is a real concern and we will look at potential further relieves for households and consumers in the Budget in October.”
Meanwhile, households are also struggling to pay grocery bills every week as the cost of living crisis continues to hit home budgets hard.
Sinn Féin say supermarket multiples should be given two weeks to bring down prices of basic foods or face mandatory price caps on grocery staples.
The main opposition party is calling on the Government to get tough with the industry which makes billions in profits in the Irish grocery market every year.
It introduced a bill in the Dail last night calling on the Government to intervene directly if supermarkets do not voluntarily provide relief for their customers.
Sinn Féin trade spokeswoman, Louise O’Reilly, launched the party’s proposals and told the Irish Mirror that the supermarkets should be given a short time to act before intervention.
She said: “the supermarkets should be brought in and given a dressing down, and then, yes, if after two weeks they haven’t acted in the interests of the consumer, mandatory price caps on certain groceries should be introduced.
“The Government has the power to act and it should.”
The Government is not opposing this week’s PMB (Private Members’ Motion) on grocery prices from Sinn Féin.
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