No indication of when energy price hikes measures will be introduced

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The Government “will act” on rising energy costs, the Minister for Justice has said, but could not indicate when that will happen.

Jim O’Callaghan was speaking on behalf of the Government at Leader’s Questions in the Dáil on Wednesday.

Sinn Féin’s leader Mary Lou McDonald said home heating oil had reached €900 for a half fill and “people can’t wait as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael twiddle your thumbs”.

The Government will respond to this. However, what we're not going to do is engage in a knee-jerk response, just for the purpose of being seen to do something immediately

She said: “The Government hauled in an estimated additional 38 million euro in taxes and levies due to these price hikes in just one week.

“So it’s blindingly obvious what you need to do, cut taxes on petrol, on diesel and home heating oil.

“This would immediately bring down prices.”

Mr O’Callaghan said: “The Government will respond to this.

“However, what we’re not going to do is engage in a knee-jerk response, just for the purpose of being seen to do something immediately.”

And he added that “deliberations are ongoing”.

Mr O’Callaghan said the rising cost of oil because of the conflict in the Middle East is “impacting consumers, not just in Ireland, but throughout the world”.

He said the Taoiseach had “indicated” the Government would “look at the issue of excise duties for the purpose of cutting them to take pressure off consumers”.

And any measures introduced will be “targeted at individuals who need them the most”.

He said “in recent days” energy minister Darragh O’Brien “wrote to retail electricity and gas suppliers, as well as fuel suppliers to emphasise the importance of reducing the exposure for Irish consumers from the price shocks created by geopolitical events”.

Ms McDonald said the policy of “wait and see” is “not a luxury that working families have”.

Mr O’Callaghan told her: “You have money to reduce the cost of fuel in Northern Ireland, yet your finance minister and your economy minister have done nothing about it as of yet.

“It’s a bit rich of you to criticise the Irish Government for not acting fast enough when your own government has done nothing in respect of it in Northern Ireland.”