{"id":25591,"date":"2022-03-22T13:26:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25591"},"modified":"2022-03-23T13:29:51","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T17:29:51","slug":"sinn-fein-challenges-government-to-do-more-to-help-people-deal-with-energy-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=25591","title":{"rendered":"Sinn F\u00e9in Challenges Government To Do More To Help People Deal With Energy Costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The T\u00e1naiste told the D\u00e1il that \u20ac1 billion had already been committed to helping people with bills (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government has been challenged to do more to help people struggling with soaring energy bills in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During leaders\u2019 questions in the D\u00e1il, Sinn F\u00e9in president Mary Lou McDonald called on the Government to remove VAT on energy bills and excise duty on home heating oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T\u00e1naiste Leo Varadkar responded by saying that the Government had already committed \u20ac1 billion to helping to reduce energy bills and would see what further measures were affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week Bord Gais Energy announced it was increasing its rates for both electricity and gas customers, with the average electricity bill set to go up by 27 per cent and the average gas bill to rise by 39 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in\u00a0leader Mrs McDonald said the rises would wipe out a planned Government credit payment before it arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cWorkers and families have been hit by a barrage of energy hikes, more than 30 in the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere were many already struggling to keep up, and they were left stunned by the scale of the latest increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Russian criminal invasion of the Ukraine has brought massive disruption and volatility to global energy markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverything that can be done, should be done, must be done to mitigate the impact and cut bills for hard-pressed households.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cPeople expect Government to respond with speed and urgency that matches the unprecedented difficulties that they now face, to intervene with measures that work, that will get energy bills down, that will keep money in people\u2019s pockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey need you to do this now, T\u00e1naiste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand that Government can\u2019t do everything, but you can do more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am asking that you do two things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirstly, to engage the European Commission and to remove VAT on energy bills for at least three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSecond, that excise duty on home heating oil be removed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Varadkar responded: \u201cAt the outset I want to acknowledge the fact that we are seeing an unprecedented increase in the cost of energy, not just in Ireland, but also around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is really squeezing people, it is making bills very hard to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is affecting business as well, and it is affecting those on the lowest incomes in particular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government will do whatever we can to help people to ease the burden, but we can\u2019t do everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo far we have committed 1bn euros to help people with the cost of fuel and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is really significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cContrast that to Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur response here has been much greater than the response in Northern Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The T\u00e1naiste added: \u201cOf course the Government will give consideration to further actions that we can take to help people and help businesses with the bills, but we do need to be honest with people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have already set aside 1bn euros to reduce the cost of energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to see what else we can do beyond that which is affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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