“Africa cannot afford to allow itself yet another region under terrorist rule,” said Erminia Notarangelo, EEAS head.

"The success proves that Independents can legislate and are capable of being legislatures of change," says Donegal TD Thomas Pringle.

“It is the poor who suffer the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”

Data from Eurostat show that among EU peer countries Ireland has the second highest rate of households who cannot afford to adequately heat their home and the highest percentage of utility arrears.

“Avoiding further climate change and protecting our common home requires a major shift away from highly polluting fossil fuels towards cleaner renewable energy.”

“The poor are suffering greatly from the climate crisis and fossil fuels are among the main drivers of this injustice,” says Cardinal Luis Tagle of Caritas Internationalis.

“With VAT added, domestic customers are effectively paying a tax on a tax. In the interest of social justice and fairness, we urge a review of the PSO application for low income and struggling energy customers.”

“These divestment commitments represent an important step towards fulfilling the promise and the call of Laudato Si."

The SVP has seen the amount it pays for energy costs for those who can’t afford to pay increase steadily over the last number of years.

Pay-as-you-go or pre-payment customers should not be disadvantaged by using these meters SVP warns.