A Clare business owner claims this winter will be catastrophic for everyone, if steps aren’t taken by Government to cap electricity prices.
It follows the announcement of a price increase by Electric Ireland from October, it’s fifth price hike since the beginning of last year.
Calls have been made for some profits from energy companies to be set aside to help the most vulnerable pay their electricity bills.
It comes as Electric Ireland is set to hike its prices by more than 26 percent from October, with the ESRI suggesting other energy companies will eventually follow suit.
A Clare business owner fears there will be catastrophic consequences for all businesses if measures aren’t taken by the Government to address increased costs.
Patrick O’Donoghue says his bills have risen by 63 cent a unit since 2021 and while acknowledging that everyone will have to manage their usage to keep bills down, he says there are some things people simply can’t avoid doing.
A Past President of Active Retirement Ireland is urging the Government to act now, rather than holding out until the Budget.
Shannon woman Kay Murphy says many elderly are struggling to pay costs as it is and with warnings that further price hikes could be on the way, she fears it could have severe and irreversible consequences for older people.
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