A charity has called on energy companies to offer discounts to families in need, after it said it received 230,000 requests for help in 2022, with the vast majority of people needing help with energy costs.
Electric Ireland said on Monday it would cut electricity tariffs for small and medium-sized businesses by an average of 10% from next month, while gas prices for these businesses are expected to fall by an average of 15%, reports RTE.
In a new report released today, St Vincent de Paul said 40 per cent of requests for help last year were related to high energy costs, which has already pushed people on low incomes further into energy poverty.
The vice chair of the St. Vincent de Paul Social Justice Committee said energy companies needed to justify cutting businesses and not giving to struggling families.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Nessan Vaughan said these companies have been too quick to pass on hikes to consumers when wholesale prices have risen and a similar reduction should be seen as soon as possible.
He said more and more people are turning to SVP for the first time, including many who may have previously donated to help others.
“They’re constantly juggling – so they pay the bills and they might come to us for food, or if they don’t have enough food because they’ve topped up their meter or paid an electricity bill, they come to us for another support,” reports RTE.
Behind every figure is a human being and a family, he said, who are often in tears and emotional.
Mr Vaughan said the government’s recent measures to help people should be welcomed, but they are not targeted enough, and that increases in social welfare should be linked to inflation.
The one-time payment is helpful, but not sufficient, he said.
Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said Electric Ireland should consider cutting down on households.
Speaking on the same programme, he said Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has called on energy companies to consider domestic tariffs.
A senior research officer and energy economist at ESRI said Electric Ireland’s decision to cut costs for SMEs appears to be the first step in reducing prices for homes, reports RTE.
However, Niall Farrell warns that it will take time for changes in the wholesale market to make their way into the retail market.
He said there is an incentive for Electric Ireland to cut customers when it makes sense for them to do so.
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