Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has called on the government to intervene to ensure energy companies pass on savings made on wholesale charges to all customers.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Energy prices for ordinary citizens remain sky-high, and workers and families across the state were left dismayed that there were no additional measures in the government’s cost-of-living to reduce extortionate bills for electricity, gas, and home heating oil.

“Some families were getting bills of €300 and €400 more than they were a year ago. That puts extraordinary pressure on families to keep up with household expenses. These price increases are particularly hard on carers looking after children with special needs and elderly relatives who may need 24/7 care.

“At the same time, energy companies reported record profits for 2022 while those families struggled to pay their bills.

“Why is the government still dithering over windfall tax? Why has the government failed to introduce a cap on energy prices? Why do big businesses get a pass while families are left out in the cold again and again?

“Confirmation that Electric Ireland will reduce bills for small and medium enterprises by 10% from Wednesday is very welcome relief for those businesses.

“We need to see these savings passed on to all customers, not just a small group of business customers, and the government must intervene to make that happen.

“The Minister and this government must stop treating energy companies with kid gloves while they make record profits on the backs of Irish families.”