Trebling of customers cut off of from gas and electricity supplies ominous – Deputy Seán Crowe

Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has described as “ominous” the latest figures released from the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) which reveal that from January to March 2012 treble the number of gas customers had their supplies cut off compared to the same period last year.

Deputy Crowe said: “The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) figures show that 1,892 gas customers were cut off between January and the end of March this year compared to 677 over the same period last year. The largest group (91%) were residential customers and a similar trend was repeated in the number of electricity customers who were disconnected for non-payment.

“Equally worrying is the fact that over 5,000 electricity customers had their supply cut during the first quarter of this year, compared with 3,298 over the same period in 2011 and again the bulk of domestic customers represented 83pc of disconnections this year.

“These figures are frightening particularly when we consider that last winter was unseasonably mild. Added to this has been the poor summer weather which is leading to a further increase in fuel bills.

“The people most at risk from the cold and hyperthermia are the elderly and young children. A severe winter will result in deaths as families struggle to heat their homes.

“Bord Gáis and Airtricity claim they are doing everything possible to avoid disconnection but these figures clearly show they are not doing enough.

“Recently, Bord Gáis applied to the CER to increase their charges for residential customers which will place an additional €65 on the average household bill.

“Even at this late stage the Government must now act on these figures which clearly illustrate the problems families are having when paying to heat their homes.”