Consumers pay fourth highest electricity prices in EU

Electricity and gas prices have been rising at a much faster rate here than average energy costs across the EU, new figures reveal.

Ireland now has the fourth highest household electricity prices among the 28 European Union member states following an average 5.1% increase in charges in the second half of last year.

In a further sign of rising energy costs for consumers, gas prices in the Republic soared at a rate seven times the EU average in 2013.