Ahern Calls for Energy Credits, and Offshore Wind Production, to Address High Energy Costs
Cllr. Ciarán Ahern has expressed concern at recent Eurostat figures, which confirm that Ireland’s energy bills are some of the highest in the EU.
These figures confirm that Irish households pay almost 30% above the European average for electricity, and have the highest average pre-tax electricity bill in the Union.
This is likely a consequence of Ireland’s overreliance on natural gas for energy production, as opposed to cheaper renewable energy options.
Ahern said:
“It’s clear that current policy is not doing nearly enough to reduce electricity costs for Irish families. That’s why we need Labour’s Cost-Of-Living Action Plan. We’re ready to provide energy credits of at least €300 to every household, and to commission an independent review to find out why we pay so much more than their continental peers.
“We must progressively pursue our abundant offshore wind resources, which looks to be Ireland’s best opportunity to reduce energy costs while ramping up renewable energy production. We should also place a moratorium on new data centres, and study how this massive energy demand is impacting electricity prices.”