More than 110,000 households in arrears on electricity and gas bills

THERE have been grave warnings from the country’s largest utility companies that more than 110,000 householders haven’t enough money to pay their electricity and gas bills.

According to the ESB, 90,000 of their customers are in arrears, double 2009 levels. Meanwhile, the head of Bord Gáis is warning that the country is in the middle of “a big social recession”, with his company devising new payment plans every five minutes for customers in trouble.

The ESB has already admitted it has doubled its rate of electricity disconnection in the four months up to July.