Government 'throwing families under a bus' by ending energy credits

Sinn Féin David Cullinane said the Government was cutting the support for families despite knowing that energy prices are going to go up. File picture: PA

The Government has been accused of throwing families under a bus when it comes to energy price hikes by ending energy credits.

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane told the finance minister that he was full of "guff, bluff, and bluster" as the two sides clashed in the Dáil over rising energy costs.

Mr Cullinane said families across the country have been hammered by a spate of increased energy costs while the Government has said it is to stop granting energy credits.

The Sinn Féin TD said it was a deeply cynical move by the Government to say there would be no further energy credits while hundreds of thousands of customers are in arrears and many families forced into energy poverty. He accused the Government of breaking promises made during the general election to cut energy costs.

Addressing Paschal Donohoe in the Dáil, Mr Cullinane said: "During the course of the election campaign, your party leader was well able to stand up and commit to cut electricity prices.

"So, during the election campaign you had one story for those struggling householders, 'we will cut energy costs'. Now, you are coming in knowing and being told by the experts that energy prices are going to go up and saying you are going to cut the support for those families."

Referring to an internal briefing document to the Government, Mr Cullinane said that on average households are paying €1,779 per year for electricity and €1,503 a year for gas. The document, he said, flagged that energy bills would continue to increase over the next five years and called for Government supports for households.

Last week, SSE Airtricity announced a 10.5% hike in electricity bills, 8.4% for gas bills and an increase of 9.5% for dual fuel customers.

"Will you assure householders today that the Government will come forward with measures that will provide relief to all of those families who are in desperate situations?" Mr Cullinane asked.

In response, Mr Donohoe said the energy credits were provided in "a world that is very different to today" when inflation was at 5%, 10% and 15%.

"That kind of level of payment is something that, if we begin to normalise it and say it will be available year after year, of itself runs the risk of creating difficulties to our country and to our economy in the years ahead," he said.

When it comes to Budget 2026, Mr Donohoe said the Government would respond to existing challenges and examine measures that can be put in place that are targeted and would offer support to those who need it the most.

"The Government will be honest in how we can help but what we will not do is do so at the expense of the honesty that is needed at a time in which the country and Europe is facing new challenges and new risks," said Mr Donohoe.

Also raised at Leaders' Questions on Thursday was staffing of children's disability network teams with independent TD Brian Stanley stating that between 22% and 29% of posts are currently vacant.

The resulting delay this is putting on children accessing treatment has led to families going for private assessment and in some cases borrowing thousands, "sometimes that is from the Credit Union, sometimes from family and friends, but sometimes it is from money lenders", the Dáil heard.