Energy windfall tax timing
Deputy Ellis highlighted huge energy bills, including a €6,000 bill, and asked when the windfall tax would be introduced. The Tánaiste said support was being delivered through existing resources now, and that the tax still had to go through legislation.
My constituency has seen an unprecedented increase in cases involving exorbitant energy bills. For example, a young mother received an energy bill for €6,000. As the Tánaiste can imagine, this caused her unnecessary distress and could have impacted her ability to pay her mortgage. The Government has indicated that it intends to bring in a windfall tax in the coming weeks. Can the Tánaiste tell us when it is intended to introduce this tax? It is urgently needed to assist people who are struggling, the consumers out there. It is just terrible the number of people who are struggling with these bills.
Comment on this
We are primarily dealing with the energy and cost-of-living crises with existing resources. It has not been dependent on the windfall tax that we announced we would be bringing in. This must be legislated for. It was announced last November and must go through the legislative process.
Comment on this
In the meantime, however, we must sort out this situation. Since January 2022, we have allocated more than €9.5 billion to households. I am not referring to businesses. The temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, for businesses is additional. This €9.5 billion is a substantial intervention to try to help people to meet what undoubtedly are severe challenges with respect to electricity and other energy bills. We have intervened quite substantially and there will be further payments or energy credits in March and April in terms of lump sums.