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enormous profits while pensioners go cold. Instead of allowing this blatant and scandalous profiteering, the Government could introduce a windfall tax on their excess profits. The Taoiseach could take a stand by telling energy companies the burden of paying for these costs will not be borne by Irish … Europe, will not be bled dry. A windfall tax would push energy companies into reducing prices by threatening to take their entire excess profits. This would directly help households that are really struggling. My questions are very straightforward and I would appreciate straightforward answers. Does the Taoiseach agree

while energy companies rake in massive profits. Energy credits must be reinstated. They can be partly funded through a windfall tax on these excess profits. However, when I was debating this matter with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, last night, he once again turned his back … next bill to come through the door, the State has a responsibility to act, to restore the energy credits, to tax the excess profits, to cut the bills and to take a side. It must stop being on the side of the energy companies that are raking

breaches of competition law. The Act does not explicitly empower the CCPC to focus on unfair pricing as a stand-alone issue, conduct profit margin analyses or cost-based pricing studies, or require the publication of such studies with a consumer welfare priority. The Department believes the Bill … undertakings, from sole-trading farmers to large FDI companies, and that would represent a signal change in policy. What constitutes an excessive profit or margin is very subjective. There is no law preventing businesses from making excessive profits nor is there any law preventing a business from being

argued for greater transparency in respect of public-private partnerships and a move back towards public ownership of critical transport infrastructure. Where profits are excessive and clauses allow tolls to rise automatically every January, every legal and financial tool must be used to renegotiate the contracts involved … which are far above the European norm of 5% to 6%. The gap between the two represents hundreds of millions of euro in excess profit extracted from motorists who were promised lower premiums in return for legal reforms. It is long past time that the Government stood

that - but in this Parliament, the Minister, as the Minister for Finance, can bring one in if he wants. He can tax the excess profits. We are talking not about the profits but about the supernormal profits that energy companies are making. He should tax them … Tánaiste would have the back of ordinary Irish people if he stood up and said he was going to make sure these excess profits are taxed and that that tax would be redirected back into people's pockets and to households right across the State to help them

price for that choice every single day. Sinn Féin would make a different choice. We would introduce a 75% windfall tax on excess profits and reintroduce energy credits to provide immediate support in the short term to households. We would reform the energy market to hold companies accountable … certainly is not inevitable. It is a choice that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have made. They should stop protecting the excess profits of the corporations, stop defending an energy system that is failing ordinary people and introduce a windfall tax without delay

energy crisis that followed, the Labour Party was the first party to call for a windfall tax on the gross and excessive profits that were being made by energy companies. It took the Government a year and a half to do it but a temporary solidarity contribution … became known, was enacted in 2023 and covered the excess profits of fossil fuel energy companies for the years 2022 and 2023. Some €267 million was raised; it was ring-fenced and helped to reduce the burden of high energy costs on vulnerable households. Then, this really progressive

there. Last week at Leaders' Questions, I raised with the Minister for Finance the idea a windfall tax should be placed on the excess profits of power companies. We got the usual kind of response we expect from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. They said that they were … Democrats makes it very clear that the socialist Government in Portugal has done just that. It has introduced a windfall tax on the excess profits of energy companies, which I have no doubt is finding its way into the pockets of low and middle income families in Portugal

next year - an early new year present from the energy companies which, at this present time, are popping the champagne corks and celebrating excess profits that are being generated not because of the genius of their engineers and business managers but because of the volatility of international energy … happen, by the way - over the next while. We need those energy credits paid for by the imposition of a levy on the excess profits of the energy companies. This is an issue we will be returning to. It is the issue du jour, as it were

million; and — the Minister for Finance, has suggested that the State should wait for a joint EU approach to windfall taxes on the excess profits of energy companies, but Portugal has already moved ahead and introduced its own windfall tax; and calls on the Government to: — legislate … Social Democrats are calling for action now, rather than at some undefined point in the future. We are proposing that excess windfall profits be taxed and that the proceeds be returned directly to households through a targeted €400 energy credit for low- and middle-income families. The previous

varied, including wars, energy price hikes, supply shortages, Brexit and so on, but the suspicion remains that the supermarket chains are making excessive profits. As Ireland is the second most expensive country in Europe, scrutiny is required. Even when margins are found to be tight, families need … actively monitor and investigate pricing practices in the grocery sector. This includes the ability to analyse market data and profit margins and intervene when unfair or excessive pricing is identified. The Competition and Consumer Protection (Unfair Prices) Bill, which has reached Second Stage, would be a good place

those found to be profiteering should be forced to contribute to the price caps by an amount equal to their excess profits. We need universal credits. The Government should just immediately get €500 back into the pockets of ordinary householders. It is the most immediate way to give

even greater profits while ordinary people are left to carry the burden. Will the Minister bring forward a windfall tax on these excess profits and use the money to help households struggling to keep the lights on and heat their homes this winter

that we can decide, as our socialist colleagues in Portugal have done, to go it alone and slap a windfall tax on the excess profits of energy companies but the Government is letting them off the hook. The template is there. We did it the last time

believe that insurance should protect, not punish. We call on the Government to stand up to insurance companies and demand fair pricing, address excessive profits in the sector, recognise the role of high insurance costs in driving the cost-of-living crisis, and ensure transparency and accountability

expected. A windfall tax on profits that were never expected or anticipated is an entirely just proposition. We would claw back those profits for measures such rolling out more solar and helping people on lower incomes and farmers in rural areas transition to more renewables, which are really … would also have the effect of creating an incentive for energy companies to push down their prices because if they know their excess profits will be clawed back by the State, they will not have an incentive for higher profits. There is no justification

because of extra work being done but because of the geopolitical situation. On the one side, there is hundreds of millions in profits and on the other side are pensioners who are afraid to turn on the heating. The Government tells us that the international markets … This is about political choices. It is about putting ordinary hard-working people first. The Government should introduce a windfall tax on excess profits, reintroduce the energy credits and reform the energy market. It is very simple. The money raised should all go directly to these struggling households

straightforward questions. I asked him to give his view as to whether it is immoral for energy companies to be booking record windfall profits off the backs of people who are struggling with the energy crisis. Does he think that is immoral? Does he have any view … proposal for a windfall tax, the aim of which is to reduce energy bills because companies could no longer pocket and keep excess profits under the proposal. That would create an incentive for them to reduce energy prices and bring down people's bills directly

back up my colleague, we very much support this Bill. I thank our colleagues in People Before Profit for introducing it. This is important legislation. Collective bargaining is key in terms of Ireland and our economy. When we look at it, the Irish economic model has, unfortunately, been … power. That is the reality. One of the issues in the context of Ireland's high cost of living is what is called excessive profiteering. This is because workers do not have the ability and right to assert that they get living wages. When we look

Last week, the Government voted down the Social Democrats' proposal that would have paid for these measures, namely, a windfall tax on the excess profits of energy companies that are enjoying a bonanza as energy prices rocket. These bumper profits for energy companies are being made

Government on the Social Democrats' motion calling for the introduction of a market revenue cap and a temporary solidarity contribution on the excess profits of energy companies. The Government proposes to reject this motion and amend it. The conflict in the Middle East and in Ukraine have caused

must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding a windfall tax on the excess profits of energy companies. On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, on the question, "That the amendment to the motion be agreed to", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing

divisions claimed to be taken immediately Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Introduce a Windfall Tax on the Excess Profits of Energy Companies, selected by Social Democrats. Thursday's business shall be: - Railway Safety Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude

planning to do and that would be better done domestically. Will the Minister look at introducing a windfall tax on the excess profits these energy companies are making while ordinary people are put to the pin of their collar trying to keep warm and keep the lights

within themselves to criticise them. Independent Ireland cannot punch down on them. Where in this motion are the proposals for a tax on excess profits of energy companies? Where is the support for a moratorium on data centres which are adding to household bills and being built

Lowry asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps he intends to take to protect consumers from excessive energy costs, particularly given the profit figures from major providers (details supplied); his views on whether the CRU is adequately fulfilling its role as a regulator, given

Finance to estimate the annual revenue that would be raised by a 5% and 10% levy on net profits of grocery retail chains with revenue in excess of €50 million annually; fast food chains with revenue in excess of €25 million annually; and if he will provide figures