More Irish households are in energy arrears than ever before, with hundreds of thousands struggling to keep up with electricity and gas bills.
Figures from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) show that 328,273 electricity accounts were in arrears in May, while a further 188,941 gas accounts were behind on payments.
That means around 14% of electricity customers and 27% of gas customers were in arrears, marking the highest level recorded.
The figures have raised concerns that the situation could worsen, particularly as several major energy suppliers have increased their prices since May.
Electric Ireland, Yuno Energy and PrepayPower are among the suppliers to have announced electricity price increases in recent months, putting further pressure on households already struggling with rising costs.
The number of accounts that have been in arrears for more than 90 days has also increased over the past year.
There were 188,748 electricity accounts more than 90 days in arrears in May, compared with 142,090 gas accounts.
The average amount owed by customers in electricity arrears has also risen significantly.
The average electricity arrears stood at €512.02 in May, while the average amount owed on gas accounts was €223.57.
Both figures have increased sharply since 2022, with the average electricity arrears amount rising by 65% and gas arrears increasing by 45%.
Despite the record figures, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has indicated that the Government is not planning a specific one-off package to help households with energy costs in October's Budget.
Speaking in Kanturk, Co Cork, Mr Martin said the Budget would provide an opportunity to address wider cost-of-living pressures.
He said: “We have a budget in the first week of October — that will provide us with an opportunity to deal with cost of living pressures on families, some of it occasioned by the fuel but other knock-on consequences in terms of food prices and so on.”
The Government has previously introduced measures aimed at reducing the cost of household energy.
VAT on gas and electricity is currently charged at the lower rate of 9%, having been reduced from 13.5% in 2022 as part of a wider cost-of-living package.
The 9% VAT rate on electricity and gas has been extended until the end of 2030 under measures announced in last year's Budget.
