Boylan concerned at number of households in energy debt

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has expressed concern at the increase in the debt that the average household owes to energy companies.

The Dublin MEP spoke after the latest CRU figures were published.

The figures showed the energy debt for the average household has risen from €412.68 in 2023, to €436.73 in 2024.

These figures, Boylan states “makes it clear that the government’s current plan isn’t working.”

“Instead of trying to ease this burden, it seems that the ESB are planning to hike these prices further to pass the cost of repair and upgrade works after the storm on to households that are already feeling the pressure,” she said.

She commented “while the government may try to put a positive spin on these figures, claiming that there are less households in arrears overall, they are ignoring that those in arrears are falling further into debt and that the number of households in debt remains too high.”

Figures have remained persisently high since early 2022, coinciding with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Boylan acknowledged that there was a decrease in terms of the record number of homes in arrears, but the figure is still higher than it was before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“It’s clear that energy credits are only a sticking plaster for a much deeper issue; the extortionate cost of electricity in Ireland,” she said.

“The government needs to invest in making energy affordable and reliable for everyone and easing the burden of crippling energy prices for workers and families.”