Calls for ESB to show sympathy over arrears

SUPPORT groups have appealed to the ESB to show sympathy towards struggling consumers, as new figures show up to 900 households a month are having their electricity cut off for failing to pay bills.

St Vincent de Paul yesterday said it was “very concerned” over the fact that 30 homes a day were being cut off and unpaid utility bills were likely to get worse over the coming months.

The ESB said that cutting off consumers was a last resort, but necessary in a bid to recoup much-needed revenue for the power supplier. The number of ESB customers being cut off has risen by a fifth since March, when an average of 750 users in debt a month being left without power.