I thank Deputy Pa Daly and my colleagues for bringing forward the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026. It is to monitor and regulate hedging practices, monitor anti-competitive behaviour, and force energy companies to provide data on pricing strategies to the regulator. It also provides legislation to regulate standing charges through the regulator. The current power of the CRU is minimal, to say the least. As someone said, it is like a dog with no teeth. Its public enforcement action is weak and limited. Energy companies need to be held to proper account. These companies are making millions upon millions of euro on an annual basis. Every time energy costs increase, so does the cost of living from food to clothing to services. This gouging is damaging lives and our economy. They must be regulated through legislation. How many times must the Government be told by Eurostat and the ESRI that energy prices are the highest in the European Union? This was before the illegal war started in Iran and Lebanon. Householders are paying double the generation costs and ten times the network costs of data centres. How can this be justified? How could the Government cut energy credits during a cost-of-living crisis with over 300,000 households in energy debt? I am sure more will follow when the figures are published in the next quarter. Sinn Féin is calling on the Government to act to back the workers of this country, to back the grannies and grandads, and to introduce a windfall tax on these energy companies to shield the most vulnerable in society and give the people the break that they deserve. We cannot continue to allow these energy companies to dictate and rip off the country by setting prices that are putting workers to the pin of their collars and driving masses of people into more debt. Sinn Féin asks all TDs to support the Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2026.

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