Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has referred to the better energy warmer homes scheme, the target for which is 1 million homes by 2020, of which 102,000 have been insulated thus far. Has the 12,000 target for 2013 been achieved? I acknowledge this work is under way having seen teams of workers moving through local authority estates.

The Minister also referred to the pay-as-you-go scheme. He previously gave a commitment that pay-as-you-go meters would be installed before any supplier moved to disconnect an energy supply. Has this promise been upheld? Where stands the pay-as-you-go scheme?

Our colleagues across the water in the British Labour Party have indicated that if returned to power in 2015, they will immediately institute a price freeze of gas and electricity prices. They appear to have convinced the current British Government to look at implementing a similar policy. Is the Minister open to consideration of the introduction of price controls, given that since taking up office as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources energy prices have increased by one third, which is outrageous?

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