Renewed calls for energy credits as more than 500,000 in arrears on bills

Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan said the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a close ally and supporter of Putin, 'retains a controlling share of the company that has a majority ownership of Aughinish Alumina'

Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said: 'People are exhausted after years of rising costs.' File picture

The opposition has renewed calls for the reintroduction of energy credits after new figures from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) showed 318,735 households are more than 30 days in arrears on electricity bills, with 183,000 in arrears on gas bills.

In the Dáil on Thursday, Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said it was the first time there were over 500,000 cases of accounts being behind, though the CRU's report does not specify how many homes are behind on both.

Mr Doherty said while the Government would point to tax revenues and a multibillion-euro budget surplus, these do not "reduce the bills that are landing on the kitchen tables each month and none of these things change the reality facing hundreds of thousands of families who are struggling with the cost of essential services".

"People are exhausted after years or rising costs," Mr Doherty said.

"They have cut back where they can. They have adjusted their budgets and absorbed increase after increase, but many feel there is no end in sight. The most frustrating thing is this is all happening at a time when there are unprecedented financial resources at the Government's disposal.

"The minister's Government claims to understand the pressures people are under but the regulator's figures tell a very different story."

Enterprise minister Peter Burke said the Government had taken action by cutting excise on fuel, funding energy-efficiency retrofits, and increasing fuel allowance.

"We are acting right now at a record level in the economy, supporting people at the fuel pumps and through reductions in electricity Vat rates," said Mr Burke. 

"We are supporting people right across the economy to ensure they are not cut off. The minister, Darragh O'Brien, has met with all the energy companies and given the Government an assurance that anyone who works with energy companies in relation to their bill will be supported."

Aughinish Alumina exports

Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan later raised the issue of Aughinish Alumina, saying exports to Russia have increased from €196m in 2021 to €318m last year.

"According to a report by Swedish tax investigators, the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska retains a controlling share of the company that has a majority ownership of Aughinish Alumina. Deripaska is a close ally and supporter of Putin. He has contributed substantially to Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine," Mr O'Callaghan said.

The Social Democrats TD went on to call for Mr Burke to outline when a Government report into the facility will be completed. 

Mr Burke said that aluminum is a "critical raw material" which is relied upon "for so many parts by every economy, including Europe, for medical devices, the automotive industry, electric vehicles and the food sector".

"I want to be very clear: The Irish Government would not tolerate any exports that were feeding the Russian military complex. 

"We have supported Ukraine. We have a very strong track record of doing that. I have put an independent process in place to ensure that we get to the bottom of the facts of exactly where this alumina is ending up. We have to achieve that through the investigation."

Mr Burke said the Government has sought evidence from the Ukrainian government on whether alumina ending up in the Russian war effort comes from Limerick.

• Paul Hosford is deputy political editor of the Irish Examiner