Government considers waiving fee for people switching from pay-as-you-go to billpay

Leo Varadkar tells his Fine Gael parliamentary party colleagues the Government could ditch the energy bill switch fee

Taoiseach Micheál Martin looks on as Tánaiste Leo Varadkar addresses yesterday's sustainable development goals conference in Dublin. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The Government is examining whether it could reduce or waive a fee charged to energy customers who switch from pay as you go to bill pay to further protect people this winter.

It comes as Taoiseach Micheál Martin guaranteed that people struggling to pay their energy bills “will not be cut off” as concern grows around disconnections for pay-as-you-go households.