In a statement, People Before Profit TD, Gino Kenny has called for the proposed increase in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) to be scrapped as it is an unjust stealth tax imposed on working people.

The PSO levy in 2011 was €19 and now the proposed increase is set to sky rocket from €61 to €90 per year. This represents an increase of 36%.

Deputy Kenny said: “This is an outrageous increase that is being proposed by the Commission for Energy Regulation. Currently these increases are set to rise to €90. This is essentially a stealth tax designed to suck more money out of working people’s pockets.

“It has been said that this money is used to provide funding for renewable energy sources. I fully support a shift to renewable energy, however what has not being said is that these renewable energy companies are private for profit companies. It is unacceptable for the people of this state who have been battered by austerity to be subsidising private companies whose only real goal is to maximise profits.

“There is no doubt that climate change is the biggest issue facing the planet. I fully support the movement against climate change. However I do not believe that private for profit companies should be subsidised in this way. Climate change is a matter for the state and the state should deal with it in a progressive way, not by charging people out of their pockets. We in People Before Profit advocate a radical series of measures to dramatically reduce Ireland’s Co2 emissions. We would like to see community ownership of renewable energy production.”