The Cabinet has signed off on a new scheme to help households across Ireland cope with rising energy costs next year.
The price of living in Ireland has been skyrocketing in recent months, leaving many people struggling to comfortably pay their monthly bills.
As a way to mitigate the widespread effects of these hikes, Ministers today confirmed a €210 million scheme to help all domestic electricity customers with €100 in 2022.
Approximately 2.1 million domestic electricity account holders will benefit from the one-off payments.
It will be given to individual electricity suppliers in the form of a €100 benefit to the bills of their customers - all domestic accounts and pay as you go customers - and it will not be means-tested.
The scheme will be known as the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme following the passage of primary legislation through the Oireachtas in the new year.
The reduction in bills will be automatic so you will not need to apply for it.
Speaking this afternoon, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said: “The Government is very conscious that international energy prices are having a significant effect on utility bills.
“While we took measures in the Budget to support vulnerable groups, this credit is designed to provide all householders with a contribution to their electricity bills in the spring of 2022.
“In the long term, the way to reduce our dependence on internationally traded fossil fuels is to expand our own indigenous supply of renewable power.
“We are working towards having up to 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
