Charity warns Bord Gáis off further price hike

The country’s largest charity has warned against further hikes in gas and electricity prices as Bord Gáis customers wait to hear if the energy regulator will approve plans for a 7% increase in charges.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul says it has seen requests for help with fuel costs treble in four years, forcing it to spend a record e10.37m clearing bills and buying oil and coal for people in need in 2011.

Figures for 2012 are still being compiled from the charity’s 1,200 local chapters, but its head of social justice, John-Mark McCafferty, said the demand was still high.