The Dáil was told today that in the first half of this year over 700 households were disconnected from their electricity and over 300 households had their gas cut off.
Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty called on the Government to ban disconnections this winter for all customers, including pay-as-you-go (PAYG) customers.
Doherty said bills have skyrocketed and “more and more families are falling behind”.
The possibility of these numbers increasing over the winter months is “very, very real”, he said.
When the Taoiseach promised that no one would be disconnected, he was criticised for making "false promises" to the public, as disconnections are undoubtedly taking place.
Doherty said that the government had given up on the 450,000 PAYG subscribers, arguing that individuals who pay their bills online have better rights than those who use paid metres.
He claimed that there is "genuine concern" about disconnections among the populace as winter approaches.
"Instead of taking charge to keep households from being disconnected, you advise them to contact their neighbourhood social welfare officer. To make matters worse, Minister Joe O'Brien of your Green Party appeared on television on Sunday and advised viewers not to turn to their government for assistance but rather to contact St. Vincent DePaul instead, Doherty said Environment Minister Eamon Ryan.
Ryan responded that he believed cash payments were the most effective method to help people get through the winter because the Taoiseach and Tánaiste were both in Brussels today. Ryan was receiving Leaders' Questions.
SF Pearse Doherty says in the first half of this year over 700 households were disconnected from their electricity and over 300 households had their gas disconnected.He says disconnections should be banned for all. pic.twitter.com/vUXUEqHCCp— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) October 20, 2022
Ryan has stated that additional financial aid will be implemented in conjunction with the government's upcoming publication of the Energy Poverty Strategy Review.
Ryan told reporters yesterday, "Our department will issue an action plan on energy poverty after listening to the experts in terms of what's the best way to achieve this."
"It's a response from the community, civil society, and the government. Since we don't want anyone to get chilly this winter, that is actually the most crucial thing we need to get right.
“We don’t want anyone going without the heat and comfort that they need. If they are in any way in difficulty in that regard, there are supports across a whole range of different ways where they can actually turn to.
"It's much preferable to heed the counsel of the professionals to approach this in a planned manner, which is what we're doing. In the action plan that will be released in the upcoming weeks, additional actions will be outlined.
"Yes, we're going to look at different measures and the government has always indicated we have to review this as we move," he responded when asked if there would be additional financial measures.
The minister informed Doherty in the Dáil today that he had been spoken with energy firms for the past few weeks and said it would be fantastic if there were simple answers.
But, he continued, "that's not the actual world. It's complicated, and there are many scenarios with various clients.
He claimed that he is working on a variety of various strategies to help individuals in need this winter.
The minister criticised Sinn Féin's plans to extend the emergency credit to homeowners with PAYG metres, and Ryan noted that charities believe this will simply cause long-term debt problems for families.
