Consumers facing larger bills for electricity, gas, and broadband
Eir is to increase its broadband and phone prices for some of its customers by 8%
Consumers are facing larger bills for electricity, gas, and broadband in the year ahead following a raft of price increases by suppliers.
The cost of the average gas bill with Bord Gáis will increase by 12.7% on August 8, while the average electricity bill will go up by 11.6%.
This will see a customer’s typical annual gas bill increase by €100.32, or €136.68 a year for electricity customers.
The announcements follow a raft of recent price hikes from the country’s top energy suppliers including Electric Ireland, Flogas, Pinergy, and Panda Power, all of whom have pointed to rising wholesale energy costs.
Dave Kirwan, managing director of Bord Gáis Energy, said there have been sustained wholesale market increases over the past six months and they have to reflect these higher costs in their prices.
“We have sought to mitigate this impact and have not taken this decision lightly but the wholesale pressures are a market challenge outside of our control," he said.
According to Eurostat, electricity prices in Ireland are already 23% above the EU average and the fourth most expensive in the 27-nation EU. Gas prices are the seventh most expensive in the EU.
Meanwhile, Eir is to increase its broadband and phone prices for some of its customers by 8%, an extra €72 a year to the average bill.
The company said the price increase was originally due in 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
The price rise will take effect on September 1. It does not impact customers on its new Gigabit Fibre Broadband and those on a bundle that includes the new fibre broadband offering.
Responding to Eir's announcement, head of communications at Bonkers.ie, Daragh Cassidy, said the price of communications in Ireland is already a staggering 40% above the EU average according to Eurostat:
"My advice to consumers is to consider what they need and think about downgrading to a cheaper deal if possible," he said.
If you want to stay with your current provider, ask to speak to someone on the retention or loyalty team, he says.
"Often a threat to cancel or walk away will result in a few euros being knocked off your bill."
