Already, almost 44% of households in Northern Ireland live in fuel poverty and recent price increases will see a further 50,000 homes joining them. Since May, the price of gas has risen by an alarming 40% and Power NI will have upped its prices by 20% by October this year (on top of another predicted increase of 12.5% from the beginning of next year). In addition to this, the Coal Advisory Service has stated that the price of coal could be raised by 10%. The cost of fuel will have effectively doubled since 2005.
The various energy companies have claimed that these increased tariffs are necessary due to soaring wholesale energy prices. However, last year, Peter Dixon (Chief Executive of Phoenix Gas) was paid a whopping salary of £700,000, placing him as one of the richest individuals in Northern Ireland. In order to conserve its profits, NIE Energy has passed the burden of increased wholesale fuel prices to the consumer. Also, NIE has made a controversial proposal to use customers to pay for its £40 million pension deficit.
The slight restraints on price increases put in place by the Utilities Regulator (NIAUR) are not enough. Ordinary people are still receiving huge energy bills they cannot pay. It is clear that the energy companies need to be put back into public ownership and run democratically for the benefit of working people instead of existing as nothing more than profit driven, private enterprises. As winter approaches we need to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable in society not the safety of profits for energy company executives.
A lively demo in front of Belfast City Hall reflected the anger many people feel at the proposed closure of 15 libraries in Belfast. Two young children, under 10, read short speeches saying why they wanted their libraries to stay open!
The defeat of Willie Walsh and the brutish British Airways (BA) management is the most important aspect to this dispute.
Yesterday's interview on RTE Radio One News reveals that Labour Party leader, Eamon Gilmore, believes that the most crucial issue in the forthcoming General Election is the number of seats Labour will win relative to Fine Gael and therefore whether he or Deputy Kenny will be Taoiseach. Nothing in any of the recent interviews he has given indicate that Labour offer any alternative to the cutback consensus.
It has emerged that the Irish Ship to Gaza, part of the Freedom Flotilla 2, has been sabotaged whilst sitting in harbour preparing to sale. The damage, which was potentially life threatening, is so serious that the ship will not be able to sale, but fortunately some of those on board can move to the Italian ship that is part of the flotilla. Here one of those on the flotilla, Socialist Party MEP,Paul Murphy responds to this latest development.