Dempsey urged to act on ‘outrageous’ gas prices

ENERGY Minister Noel Dempsey was last night urged to act over spiralling gas bills after an Irish Examiner investigation showed prices in Ireland are almost double those in Britain.

The Irish Examiner revealed yesterday how householders in Ireland will pay 87% more for their gas than British consumers when Bord Gáis’s latest price rise kicks in next month.

Last night Labour’s energy spokesman, Tommy Broughan TD, said Bord Gáis’s rise of 33.8% in bills was unjustified as gas prices globally were coming down.

Electricity bills are set to go up 19.7% from January too as power is generated by gas.

He said: “The price of gas on international energy markets has dropped significantly, yet Irish householders and businesses will still have massive increases imposed upon them next month.

“Consumers never seem to reap the benefits of world energy price decreases; they only get a spiral of price rises year after year.”

“These gas and electricity price increases are a financial burden that will savagely impact on the vast bulk of Irish families over the winter,” he added.

From next month, the average two-monthly bill for gas will be €201 or €1,207 a year, working out at €561 more than in Britain.

In the new year, the average ESB domestic bill will rise to €150 every two months, or €900 for the year — 54% more than British householders pay.

ESB said bills were going up steeply because of the rise in the cost of gas used to generate electricity.

Mr Broughan said: “That Irish householders are set to pay an astonishing 87% more for their gas bills than their counterparts in the Britain is appalling.

“Almost all of our gas supply is imported from Britain and transport costs do not adequately explain the much greater prices that Irish consumers are forced to endure.”

Last night the Deputy called on Natural Resources Minister Noel Dempsey to intervene in what he said was a “debacle” of energy price rises.

Mr Broughan said the rises — sanctioned by the Government’s energy regulator — must be reviewed to lessen the financial burden on families.

“Minister Dempsey has a range of policy options to directly lower outrageously high-priced ... gas and electricity for households and businesses,” he said.