The Government has left families to fend for themselves as they are priced out of skyrocketing gas and electricity prices, according to Social Democrats energy spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore.
Deputy Whitmore said:
“This week, we learned two of Ireland’s household energy providers, Electric Ireland and Yuno Energy, will be charging an additional €250 to €300 every year for their customers to heat and power their homes.
“Today, Pinergy announced that it would be raising its night rate by a staggering 82%. This hike will take a toll on those who charge electric vehicles or solar panels overnight, households who took the Government’s word and committed to sustainable alternatives.
“Night rates were a relief for the millions of families struggling to keep pace with their bills, who often left the use of appliances with high energy demands, like washing machines, until dark. In Pinergy’s case, this will no longer be the case.
“Ireland was already the most expensive country in Europe for household gas and electricity before these rises, with costs an eye-watering 40% higher than the European average. An average household here pays €480 more per year when compared to our EU neighbours.
“There is no justification for this level of discrepancy. Energy prices are up to 80% higher than they were just a few years ago. As a result, over one-third of families have been in energy arrears during the last 12 months, a staggering indictment of this Government.
“Last month, the number of households in arrears on their gas and electricity bills reached a record 500,000. Half a million homes are at risk of losing the power to heat their homes, to keep the lights on, and this is causing unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety and detrimental health outcomes all around the country.
“Parents are being forced to choose between heating and eating to provide for their children. The exchequer is flush with funds, yet the Government is leaving these families to fend for themselves as the cost of living crisis continues to encroach from all angles, from the supermarket tills to the forecourts.
“These unsustainable pressures have a particularly acute impact on the development and wellbeing of our children. According to Barnardos, 20% of parents said they and/or their children had to go without or cut back on food in 2025, with almost half skipping meals. Nearly one third of parents felt at some point they didn’t have enough food to feed their children.
“Poverty and deprivation have an extremely adverse effect on children, the results of which can determine crucial factors about the rest of a child’s life in terms of their health, their education and their happiness. We cannot allow more and more children to fall below the poverty line due to unassailable financial pressures faced by their families.
“Price rises in the energy market have never been more relentless. The Government must step in before even more families fall into arrears this winter. As an immediate measure, we must see targeted energy supports for low to medium income earners. I have repeatedly called on the Government to agree to a €400 energy credit for households with incomes of less than €70,000.”
July 3rd, 2026