Protest Against Electricity Price Increase
ESB Head Office - Dublin - October 3rd
At the start of September Electric Ireland announced that it was increasing the price of electricity to all domestic customers by an average of 3.4%, with the increase coming into effect on October 1st. It is widely expected that other energy providers will follow with similar price increases in the coming weeks.
In response to the proposed price increase, Éirígí For A New Republic is organising a protest outside of the ESB’s head office on East Wall Road in Dublin at 1pm on Saturday, October 3rd. Speaking in relation to the price rise and the upcoming protest, Cathaoirleach Éirígí Brian Leeson said,
“The timing of this price increase by Electric Ireland could not be worse. It will come into effect just as winter begins and people start using higher levels of electricity for lighting, heating, cooking and other uses.
This winter will be like no other as hundreds of thousands of Electric Ireland customers try to get by on incomes that have dropped, in many cases dramatically so, because of the economic fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.
Because Electric Ireland is such a big player in the energy market, it it almost certain that other suppliers will follow suit, thus creating a ripple effect that will hit every family in the country.
The current public health advice places a heavy focus on personal and household hygiene. We are being constantly encouraged to wash our hands, wash our face coverings and to wipe down heavy-use surfaces - all of which uses energy to generate hot water.
For Electric Ireland to increase its prices in this way during a public health and economic crisis is beyond tone deaf. The fact that the ESB is publicly owned only adds insult to injury.
In the short-term we are calling for the proposed price increase to be reversed and for all energy prices to be frozen, if not reduced, for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis.
In the longer-term we are calling for all renewable energy production to come under public control, to ensure that everyone in Ireland has access to low cost electricity as we make the transition away from carbon fuels.
We are organising this protest to give people an opportunity to publicly voice their opposition to the proposed increase in electricity prices. I’d strongly encourage anyone who agrees with our analysis to join us at 1pm on Saturday October 3rd at the ESBs head office.”
You can find out more about Éirígí’s Power To The People campaign here.
Please note the protest above will be socially distanced and those in attendance are encouraged to wear face coverings.