ESB meters not being read, claims Durkan

Consumers are receiving electricity bills with arrears of up to €1,000 because their meters have not been read for two years, it was claimed in the Dáil.

Fine Gael's spokesman on Natural Resources Bernard Durkan made the allegation as new legislation was introduced to increase the powers of the energy regulator.

Mr Durkan said that "ESB meters are no longer read on a bi-monthly basis and this has resulted in some meters not being read for up to 14 months or two years". He pointed out that "the ESB has billed a number of households showing arrears of up to €1,000".

During the introduction of the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, Mr Durkan said he had received a letter from a woman whose meter had not been read for two years.

He added that "two years later the arrears which have accrued are calculated at the price of electricity at current costs, not as it was charged two years ago".

Labour's spokesman Tommy Broughan said it was clear from the European Commission's threats of legal action that the Government "failed to facilitate competitive markets for Irish consumers and householders. Irish energy prices remain among the highest in the EU and despite repeated Government spin, no real options have been provided for householders in either electricity or gas".

He accused the Government of "sleepwalking" for the past few years on the issue of energy "when most of our EU partners presented major energy reviews and policies". He added that "we are all aware of the long timeframe in developing energy infrastructure, but surely the Government should not have taken almost 10 years to reach the modest platform provided by this Bill".

Minister of State John Browne who introduced the Bill, described it as an important measure in the delivery of the Government's developing energy policy. "It goes without saying that east-west and north-south electricity interconnection are critical planks of the Government's energy policy. Both can provide strong physical links with Northern Ireland and mainland UK, and will serve to integrate Ireland into wider European markets."

He explained that the legislation would give the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) power to arrange the establishment of a "single market operator" which will "operate a system of contracts and arrangements for trading in electricity on the island of Ireland".

Green party spokesman Eamon Ryan said "the Government has failed us in energy policy". Mr Ryan said that "Ireland has not had an energy policy for 20-odd years. We have had no political leadership in the energy area. Instead, we have had an inadequate, timid and bureaucratic response."

Sinn Fein's energy spokesman Seán Crowe said his party supported some of the Bill's objectives, especially the plan to promote an all-Ireland energy market. "However, we also believe that such an objective will be best served by developing such a market under a company that is in public ownership and for the public good." The Government cannot blame the rainbow government for the situation. In 1997 when the Government came to power, Ireland had the same oil use per capita as the EU 15. In 10 years Ireland has gone to being 50 per cent above the EU average.