Taoiseach confirms energy supports will be part of the Budget

Kenneth Fox

Energy supports for households and businesses will be included in the upcoming Budget, the Taoiseach has confirmed.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Leo Varadkar said families and companies will need financial help over the winter period as energy bills are not falling fast enough to protect people.

The budget is expected to include a mix of universal and targeted measures to help people with rising costs and more money will also be pumped into retrofitting homes and fitting solar panels, so they are cheaper to heat.

Mr Varadkar said: "I think it's pretty obvious that people will need help with their energy bills this winter coming and the details will be in the Budget.

"Our expectation is that electricity and gas prices will fall, but they won't fall enough or fast enough between now and next winter for us to say that there is no longer a case for support.”

Mr Varadkar said the Government has still not made a final decision on how the payments will be made, but said the "easy option" is through energy credits as "you can just take it off the bill, it applies to everyone".

"But as we did previously, there was a targeted element too, recognising that poorer households might need the help more, and then I know there will be a desire to do a bit more in helping people with their energy efficiency," said Mr Varadkar.

He said between 30,000 and 40,000 homes have been retrofitted this year already which is "pretty good going" and encouraged people to take up grants for solar power.

The Taoiseach said any extra supports or one-off payments will be funded out of the proceeds of the windfall tax on energy companies.