Galway County Councillor Declan Kelly is urging the government to ensure that it includes another three energy credits in the forthcoming Budget in October.
The Loughrea councillor has said that he has been asked to speak out on the issue by constituents who are ‘living in dread of the next electricity bill’.
He said that he considers the current government to be the most anti-rural in the history of the Irish State.
“It is, after all, the government that permitted the Green Party to lead the way on the ban on the sale of turf at a time of rocketing energy prices,” said Cllr Kelly.
“One thing this government has gotten right, however, was the energy credits it introduced in the last Budget.”
He said that these credits at least gave some financial breathing space to people struggling with constant bills and the rising cost of living.
“While I welcome the news this morning that the largest energy supplier in the country is to reduce electricity and gas unit prices from the beginning of November, people are still under major pressure from high energy prices and I have been asked to speak out on the issue by constituents who are living in dread of the next electricity bill,” he said.
“The media has reported stories of people turning off lights and practically living in the dark over the fear of how high their next bill will be and no one should have to live like that, especially our older citizens and families who are on modest wages.”
