TD urges Government to immediately introduce €400 electricity credit

Eva Osborne

Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore is calling on the Government to immediately introduce a targeted €400 electricity credit.

Nearly 320,000 households were behind on their electricity bills at the end of last year, an increase of 19 per cent on the previous year, and Whitmore is urging the Government to help those struggling to pay their bills.

As well as this, there is growing concern about the impact the war in Iran is having on energy prices.

Speaking to Newstalk, she said: "So the Government needs to urgently bring in an electricity credit. What we know at the moment is that there are 320,000 people who are in arrears on their electricity bill.

"So there are very very many people who are already struggling with high energy costs, and this current crisis is just layering more and more burden upon them."

Data from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) showed that one in seven households was behind on their electricity bills at the end of 2025.

The average value of the arrears stood at €466.

It comes as the Government stopped €250 electricity credits to all households in this year's budget.