A plan aimed at lowering energy costs for households and businesses is to be delivered to the Government before the end of September.
The Cabinet will today be updated by Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien on the work of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce amid the ongoing crisis caused by war in the Middle East.
He is expected to outline how the cross-Government taskforce is to submit its energy affordability action plan in the third quarter of the year.
Last month marked fuel protests and blockades by hauliers and farm contractors angered by rising energy costs.
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The Government has announced €750 million in support, including temporary cuts in excise duty on petrol and diesel and an extension of the fuel allowance for households at risk of energy poverty.
However, there has been pressure from the Opposition to do more with calls for an emergency budget, which the Coalition has resisted.
It is understood there are to be four pillars of the taskforce’s plan, which will include proposals for short, medium and longer-term measures. These are: addressing the price of energy; sustainable demand and enhancing flexibility; addressing energy poverty and customer protections; and energy affordability for businesses.
Separately, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon will seek Cabinet approval for a proposed €500 million scheme for small and medium businesses and farm enterprises.
It is an extension of the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme aimed at increasing productivity and competitiveness, as well as supporting environmental sustainability.
Like that scheme, the proposed low-cost loans scheme will be underpinned by funding from the European Investment Bank.
The loans, to be administered by pillar banks in the Republic, do not require security up to €500,000 as the Government steps in to provide this. Sums between €25,000 and €3 million are to be available with the scheme expected to be launched next month to run up to 2029.
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is to seek Government approval for the text of a law aimed at withdrawing guardianship rights from a parent who has killed their spouse.
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The legislation is to be known as Valerie’s Law, in honour of Valerie French (41), a mother of three young boys who was murdered in June 2019 by her husband, James Kilroy. He continued to have guardianship rights over their three boys despite his conviction.
Under the legislation, child and family agency Tusla can apply to a court within six months of a conviction to have guardianship rights removed. The court will be able to impose restrictions on the convicted person’s guardianship of the child or remove them as a guardian.
Valerie French’s brother, David French, welcomed the legislation, telling RTÉ Radio on Tuesday: “This is child protection. This is taking a verdict from the criminal court and applying it for the best interests of children, regardless of so-called rights of a killer.”
In other Cabinet items, Minister for Culture and Sport Patrick O’Donovan is to brief colleagues on a new €6 million pilot scheme to support arts and cultural facilities and community groups, as well as planned appointments to the board of Irish language broadcaster TG4.
Ministers will also hear about plans for a match for golfers with a disability between players from Europe and the United States to be held alongside the Ryder Cup, which is taking place in Co Limerick next year. The event is expected to cost €500,000, with up to €300,000 of this proposed to come from Government funding linked to Ireland’s hosting of the Ryder Cup.
