€50m for free energy scheme ‘falls far short’

THE country’s largest charity has told the Government that the €50 million to be spent in offsetting the cost of energy prices fell far short of what was needed to ensure people did not suffer this winter.

St Vincent de Paul vice-president Prof John Monaghan said the spend on the free energy scheme would have to at least treble to meet the need.

“That would ensure that the scheme is made available to low-income families with children because very few of them qualify at the moment,” he said. “SVP spent €3.1m helping people to meet fuel costs last year before the huge energy increases were announced. God only knows what we will be spending next year.”