Sir, – In your article on the growing numbers unable to keep their energy bills in credit, it was pointed out that this is happening despite “full employment” (“What happens when you can’t pay an electricity or gas bill?”, September 28th).
What we can reasonably glean from this is that either the average wage is inadequate or the cost of electricity is too high. I contend the latter is the problem.
A question that should be asked now is whether this is the consequence of the decision to privatise the sector. People would specifically like to know how much money is taken from citizens to provide a profit for private suppliers.
Electricity is a vital utility without which life becomes very difficult. It is surely the case that it should be supplied as cheaply as possible with the charge covering only the cost of generation and supply.
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That it is deemed appropriate that access to a vital utility should be a means through which profit can be made is the core issue that needs to be addressed.
The Government handing out supports to households to assist them in maintaining access to a supply does nothing in the medium term to address the issue, which will simply get worse as time passes. – Yours, etc,
JIM O’SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Sligo.
