Sinn Féin TDs David Cullinane and Conor McGuinness have criticised the government’s failure to support struggling households, after new figures from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities showed that a record 322,298 households are now in arrears on their energy bills.
The Waterford TDs said families across Waterford are continuing to face unaffordable electricity and heating costs, while the government withdraws household supports and provides subsidies and reduced network charges to large businesses and data centres.
David Cullinane TD said the figures demonstrated the scale of the cost-of-living pressure still facing households.
Deputy Cullinane said:
“More than 322,000 households are now behind on their energy bills, the highest number since available records began.
“This is another stain on the record of this Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael government.
“Families in Waterford and across the state are continuing to struggle with high electricity bills, grocery costs, rents and mortgages, yet the government has withdrawn the energy credit without providing a meaningful alternative.
“Rather than taking decisive action to reduce bills, the government established another taskforce while the number of households in arrears continued to rise.
“Almost 24,000 more households are behind on their bills than when the government announced its taskforce in June last year.
“There are also almost 22,000 more households in arrears since the government announced the ending of the energy credits in last October’s Budget.
“This is the cliff edge that Sinn Féin warned the government about.”
Conor McGuinness TD said the government’s treatment of households stood in stark contrast to the supports being offered to major corporations and data centres.
Deputy McGuinness said:
“Households across Waterford are being asked to pay more and more, while large businesses and data centres are being offered subsidies and discounts.
“The government secured EU approval for a €300 million subsidy for big business. That is equivalent to providing every household in the state with an energy credit of €125.
“At the same time, households face substantial additional costs to fund upgrades to the electricity grid, while data centres benefit from significantly reduced network charges.
“This is completely the wrong set of priorities.
“People in Waterford are already struggling to keep up with energy bills. Many families are being forced to cut back on heating, food and other essentials, while the government continues to approve energy-intensive data centres that are placing further pressure on the electricity system.
“It is scandalous that hundreds of thousands of households are in arrears while some of the biggest and most profitable companies receive preferential treatment.
“Enough is enough. Households must be given the same urgency and attention that this government routinely gives to big business.
“Sinn Féin will continue to demand targeted supports for struggling households, action to reduce electricity costs and an energy policy that puts families and communities in Waterford first.”
CRÍOCH/ENDS