NEW figures showing a record number of households struggling to pay their energy bills highlight the worsening cost-of-living crisis facing families.
In response to the CRU figures, which show that, for the first time there are over half a million household energy accounts in arrears, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has said households are at “crisis point”.
“This doesn’t even count all the people who silently disconnect when they can’t put money in their pay as you go metre or all the people at home with empty oil tanks.
“It can no longer be denied that things are getting worse. The number of people that can’t pay their electricity bills has exploded over the last 3 years. 1 in 4 can’t pay their gas bills.
“On top of all this, we have seen energy companies move to increase electricity and gas prices further in recent weeks,” the Donegal deputy said.
“The Government needs to wake up to the scale of this crisis, and prepare and bring forward emergency measures that include energy credits and tax the windfall profits of energy companies.
“Energy credits were never the full answer, but they are vital to take pressure off workers and families and buy time to make the necessary reforms that the Government has so far refused to make to reduce the cost of electricity.”