Broke Irish families have asked to have their electricity cut off because they can’t afford to pay for power.
A shocking new report reveals that 5,000 customers have asked Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board to disconnect them.
The Irish Sun reports that the cash strapped families have opted to live without electricity rather than fall further into debt.Another 1,600 desperate householders have opted to disconnect their gas supplies.
Other households have asked their electricity and gas suppliers to install pay-as-you-go meters. Ireland’s Commission for Energy Regulation Chairman Dermot Nolan has told a government committee that families with children are having most problems with falling into arrears.
Consumer watchdog Dermot Jewell told the paper: “That means they are without light, they are using candles, they don’t have power for day to day living.
“The piling on and continuity of increases is unacceptable, it’s unforgivable.“I think we really do need to hear now at this stage from Government in relations to what are they going to do to help consumers.”
The report says that around 10 per cent of all electricity and gas customers are struggling to pay utility bills, representing 200,000 electricity customers and 62,800 gas users.
Nolan claimed: “It is hard to understand why people would opt to be disconnected rather than use pre-paid meters.“The price and supply of gas, which Ireland is highly dependent on for our energy needs, is highly volatile.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.EamonnDublin | Nov 29, 2012, 12:34 PM EST
Goodness me, Anglo-Norman, Your knowledge of history is sadly lacking. Blurred by the anti-Irish Republic blood that runs madly through your veins. Ireland was the first country in the world to rise up and break free from British domination. Please do not insult the brave men and women of 1916 - and many, many rebellions prior to that. Oh, yes, I know, I know, you said "Free State", but where in God's name do you think mpost of the 1916 volunteers came from? Jamaica? No. Belfast? No. Carry on mocking Ireland, you simply make a fool of yourself. Éamonn, Dublin.
Seanmor | Nov 27, 2012, 11:34 AM EST
The €4 million the Free State gov't recently sent Uganda and apparently never reached those for whom it was intended should have been used to help needy families in t Ireland to for gas and eletricity.
curtisjohnson | Nov 24, 2012, 10:15 PM EST
Better yet the international creditors of the banks who were bailed out by Irish tax dollars.
pilib04 | Nov 24, 2012, 08:13 AM EST
Let the Irish Banks pay these utility bills. The Banks certainly have no problem stealing (in cooperation with the Gombeen Men of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Greens and Labour)Billions from the Irish people so why shouldn't they kick in a few Euros for the utility bills of those they have dispossed.
angrypaddy | Nov 24, 2012, 01:05 AM EST
Ho,Ho,Ho,"Get Up,Stand Up, Stand Up For Your Rights
curtisjohnson | Nov 23, 2012, 10:34 PM EST
As long as the anglo-oriented Dublin establishment and international creditors of the banks bailed by the tax dollars of these suffering citizens are happy.
anglo-norman | Nov 23, 2012, 09:50 PM EST
EamonDublin you are talking through your hat son.. The Irish in the Free State will never rise up. They never did in the history of the Free State despite all the crap they had to endure through stupidity,economic hardships,corruption,the Catholic Corporation raping Irish children & enslaving women in laundries etc etc
merefalow | Nov 23, 2012, 05:41 PM EST
this makes me f......... fume.leave that f......... eu.screw the debt,say you arent paying the lowlife bankers.print your own currency.what they going to do send the bailiffs in.same goes for greece,spain,anyone ripped of by capitalist rip offs.
mreinhar2001 | Nov 23, 2012, 01:21 PM EST
Portia777: Helen Ferone's offer was very kind and generous. Leave her alone.
SusanneM | Nov 23, 2012, 01:10 PM EST
This is terrible that these families have to make this choice in the coldest months and struggle with no light or electricity. It is a shame that the companies cannot keep at least the heating on in the coldest months as they do here (they have a no shut off policy in the fall/winter months). Perhaps they could also look into budgetted billing where they average out what you pay in a year so the payments would be even throughout the year and not jump up in the colder and darker months. I fear that without adequate light and heat homes will be more prone to fires and families will freeze to death.
Portia777 | Nov 23, 2012, 11:13 AM EST
Helen Ferone. Psychopathic companies care less about children or adults. When did any institution in Eire ever care about children? Never. Only if they were worth $$$ in the slave trade to USA years ago and for child trafficking. Poverty will create the perfect environment for selling children once again
Portia777 | Nov 23, 2012, 11:10 AM EST
Frosty38. Most Irish would rather die than ask for charity It is in our DNA. Many old people simply turned the off switch rather than go to the poor houses and then the old peoples homes- same energy. EamonnDublin-Just stage 5 in auto genocide. History repeating itself and what perfect timing as well.
EamonnDublin | Nov 23, 2012, 10:49 AM EST
"Frosty38" - Yes, indeed we do have charities. We have the Knights, we have Saint Vincent de Paul (probably the main one) and others. One of the peculiarities of we Irish is that we totally hate admitting we have a financial problem. This has eased somewhat recently, because it is not now seen as necessarily being one's own fault, but the fault of the economy. However, it is still in the psyche. Saint Vincent de Paul ("SVP") are often on the radio, telling people to come to them, and the figures are up. I think, as usual, that the media is probably hyping this a bit - a lot of people would have both electricity and gas, and there is also solid fuel for heating and central heating. The Social Welfare is also probably the best in Europe/The World. So, please don't be too upset about it - I am sure there will be some hardship, but there is no need for anybody to die, or even near it! Thank you for your interest. God Bless, Éamonn, Dublin.
EamonnDublin | Nov 23, 2012, 10:29 AM EST
Apologies ..... I should have made it clearer .......the €100k retainer paid to the developers is being paid by the TAXPAYERS. And the politicians and bankers figures are PENSIONS (also paid by the TAXPAYERS!)!!! Éamonn .......... Vive La Revolution!
Frosty38 | Nov 23, 2012, 10:26 AM EST
what charities org do they have like my husband is a Knights of Columbus and they do this for families. Do they not have Catholic Charities there?
EamonnDublin | Nov 23, 2012, 10:16 AM EST
.................. Meanwhile, our retired "top" politicians (the ones who oversaw the breaking of the country) are on pensions of €150,000 per annum. That's Euros, folks, NOT dollars. And top bankers (the ones who broke the country) are on €350,000 per annum pensions. And some building developers (the ones who drove the carnival dodgems) are on €100,000 per annum "retainer", for sitting on their arses waiting for "the recovery". And the Gardaí, the nurses and the average worker are being fleeced at every turn, with a riot-inducing budget coming just before Christmas. Watch this space. You ain't seen NOTHIN' yet!!!!
Helen Ferone | Nov 23, 2012, 09:43 AM EST
Something like this should never happen to anyone, and the electric and gas companies should realize this especially when children are concerned. Burning candles are a hazard and shouldn't be done in any family. Is there anything that can be. I don't have much but I would share.
Towngate | Nov 23, 2012, 09:03 AM EST
Back to the 'Dark Ages' so. - at least for 10% of them!