Windfall Tax on the Excess Profits of Energy Companies: Motion [Private Members]
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-30
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Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP), Dún Laoghaire

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion and we are happy to support it. I have to be honest and say we would go a little bit further with our windfall tax. We think 50% of the profits of these companies should be taxed and this could raise €1.1 billion, which would go a hell of a long way, along with a levy on the data centres to make them pay the same electricity prices ordinary householders. In total this could raise about €2.5 billion and could go a hell of a long way to stopping the energy poverty, hardship and suffering of so many people this winter as a result, let us not forget, of Trump and Israel's warmongering, the profiteering of energy companies and the indifference of our Government and other governments to the hardship and suffering that ordinary people go through.
It is not just that 500,000 people are in arrears and cannot afford to pay their bills, or that older people and the students who will be marching tomorrow will be shivering with cold and afraid to turn on the heat. This leads to excess deaths. It is estimated that between 1,500 and 2,800 people, mostly elderly people and vulnerable people, will die because of energy poverty this winter and because of being afraid to turn on the heating or not being able to afford to do so. There are very real and terrible consequences of the prioritisation of the profits of energy companies and the obscene salaries of their CEOs over providing protection for people who are struggling, including elderly people, students and working people, who cannot afford to pay their bills. It is outrageous and insulting.
The global profits of SSE Airtricity last year were €1.8 billion. The profits of Energia Group this year are up 25% on last year. ESB's profits are up to €445 million for the half year and will be close to a little under €1 billion for the year. The ESB chief executive is going to see a hike in his salary of €90,000, taking it up to €400,000, while people will shiver with cold and some will die because the Government will not prioritise their need for heat over the profits and salaries of those running energy companies. It is disgusting.
I ask the Government to change its priorities, tax these profiteering companies and provide help for ordinary people by controlling the cost of the electricity and energy they use to stop the suffering.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-30