 Sinn Fein Senator Kathryn Reilly has called on the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resource to come before the Seanad to discuss the 10% hike in electricity and gas prices which An Bord Gáis plans to announce later this week. Senator Reilly said that such an increase will further cripple families who are already struggling to cope. Speaking in the Seanad Senator Reilly said: “The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources needs to come into the Seanad before the recess to discuss the at least 10% increase in electricity prices being announced by An Bord Gáis this week and the application by the same company to increase its gas prices. “He must also address the fact that these increases will further exacerbate the difficulties in which a large number of households are experiencing in meeting their energy bills. “This will push more people into arrears, increase the number of disconnections and lead to many people being unable to properly heat themselves over the colder months of the year. “Bord Gáis made a 120 million profit last year and they persuaded huge amounts of people to 'make the big switch' for electric on the basis that they would get better deal. But this move will see its customers worse off by about €300 a year. “This is at a time when Bord Gais Energy now has more than 114,000 customers in arrears of two months or more, an increase of 300pc on 2010. “Because of the huge degree of price matching in the sector, it seems inevitable now that the other two players in the energy market will announce price hikes of their own. “The Minister needs to discuss this issue in terms of what ordinary people are set to face and what is going to be done to combat fuel poverty. Not just that but how will this affect our SMEs and the cost of doing business when electricity costs for SMEs is higher in Ireland than the euro area. Speaking outside the Seanad, she said: “Bord Gáis says it needs to increase prices because of the Global Market. At the same time, the company has made huge profits from loyal customers. These same customers are already crippled with job losses, Government cuts and rising prices, not to mention the hike in the mortgage interest rate. “This proposed hike in energy prices will push people further into fuel poverty and undoubtedly lead to an increase in the numbers of people in arrears and who are therefore in danger of disconnection. “I have tabled a matter on the adjournment for tomorrow on this important issue and hope to seek answers for the people of Cavan and Monaghan who will be devastated, like hundreds of thousands of people across this State, by further hikes in energy prices” |
Tuesday, 12 July 2011 16:40