Latest news with #PublicServiceObligation
Irish Independent
31-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Record numbers in arrears on energy bills as families ‘forced to prioritise buying groceries'
Figures obtained by Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan show 301,000 households were in arrears on their electricity bills in May. Ms Boylan said this was a record. Another 175,000 domestic gas customers are behind on their bills. Small firms are also struggling to keep up to date with their bills. A total of 27,400 small firms were in arrears on their electricity bills in May, according to the figures provided to Ms Boylan by Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien. Ms Boylan said food-price inflation meant families were being forced to prioritise buying groceries over paying their energy bills on time. The number in arrears on electricity bills was up 64,000 on the total for April, according to calculations based on figures from the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). 'This is the highest number of households in arrears ever, at 301,379. The previous high was April 2025, at 300,653,' Ms Boylan said. The Government will pretend like this is all outside their control, but it's not Last week, Flogas announced a 7pc hike in its electricity prices from next month, with more suppliers expected to follow. SSE Airtricity has already announced price rises. The CRU said network charges for households would be going up, but it has also emerged they are going down for data centres. 'While families struggle, energy suppliers like Flogas continue to jack up energy prices while also raking in eye-watering profits,' Ms Boylan said. Flogas does not report profits directly, but its parent company, DCC plc, recorded profits of €714m in the year to March. ADVERTISEMENT 'The Government will pretend like this is all outside their control, but it's not,' Ms Boylan said, adding that the CRU was preparing to increase household network charges and cut them for data centres. It remains far too high for households She said t he Government could easily intervene to prevent that, as happened in 2009 with the Large Energy User Rebalancing Subvention. 'The same goes with the PSO [Public Service Obligation] Levy. It might be coming down slightly, but it remains far too high for households,' she said. Ms Boylan also said households were shouldering a disproportionate amount compared with data centres. Last week, Flogas said its electricity prices would go up by 7pc from August 25. Standing charges and unit rates will both rise. For a typical residential electricity customer, this will mean an increase of around €126 per year, or €10.51 a month. There is no change to its domestic gas prices. Flogas blamed its price hike on the decision by the CRU to increase network charges. The CRU increased network charges by €100 on the average annual bill this year, with much of the money raised from this to be used for investment in infrastructure. Daragh Cassidy, of price-comparison site said more suppliers will probably increase their prices. He said wholesale energy prices had decreased since the height of the energy crisis in 2022, but costs for the upkeep of the electricity grid kept rising.
BreakingNews.ie
01-07-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Profits up by 64% at Dublin Bus
Pre-tax profits at the State's largest transport company, Dublin Bus, last year increased by 64 per cent to €3.83 million as its customer numbers reached a record 159 million. The state's largest semi-state transport firm in terms of customers increased its profits as the financial penalties imposed by the National Transport Authority (NTA) almost halved to €4.67 million. Advertisement The €4.67 million imposed in performance related financial penalties by the NTA last year is down sharply on the €9.09 million imposed in 2023. In their report in Dublin Bus's annual report, the directors for Dublin Bus state that the company earned a reasonable profit on Public Service Obligation (PSO) services but this was reduced by performance-related deductions. They state that 'the performance deductions reflect the challenges faced by the company in the areas of service performance and reliability during the year'. The directors state that 'the performance deductions reflect the variability of traffic conditions throughout 2024 which impacts on the company's ability to meet its overall performance targets'. Advertisement They state that "improving operational performance remains a key focus area for the company as we enter 2025. The level of penalties for 2024 was significantly lower than 2023, as the company continues to focus on delivering improved services for customers'. NTA figures show that the number of Dublin Bus kilometres that were 'lost' - services that were supposed to run but didn't - has fallen from seven per cent in the middle of 2022 to just over three per cent in the middle of 2024. In his report, Dublin ceo, Billy Hann says that "while our punctuality and reliability metrics have remained strong, congestion continues to impact services". He says: 'Dublin is one of the most congested cities in Europe, and without further investment in bus priority measures, journey times will suffer.' Advertisement The 2024 annual report for Dublin Bus shows that profits increased as revenues by 12 per cent from €334.8 million to €375.82 million. The profit takes account of exceptional operating costs of €1.29 million which relates to restructuring and other employee related matters. Profits increased despite the amount paid out in third party and employer's liability claims rising from €2.54 million to €5.17 million. The directors state that the cost of operating PSO services increased from €324.3 million in 2023 to €364 million in 2024, an increase of €39.7 million. Numbers employed by Dublin Bus last year increased to 4,224 with 3,201 serving as bus drivers and to meet increasing demand, Dublin Bus recruited 482 drivers in the past year. Staff costs last year totalled €268.7 million with salaries and wages totalling €224 million with an additional €17.7 million paid out in overtime and €59.6 million paid out in allowances. The pay package for Mr Hann remained at the same level of €276,000 made up of salary of €200,000, post retirement benefit costs of €50,000, €23,000 in social insurance costs and €3,000 in taxable benefit in kind. Pay to key management personnel increased from €2.33 million to €2.53 million. A note states that during 2024 a review of the Executive Team structure was undertaken and a revised Executive Team was implemented.
Belfast Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Derry to Dublin air route expected to re-open ‘next year', says Irish minister
Foyle MP Colum Eastwood tonight has welcomed progress on the restoration of the route following a meeting between Irish Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and City of Derry Airport today. Mr O'Brien has confirmed that he expects services to commence later in 2026. Mr Eastwood said: 'This is great news for Derry and it's another important part of enhancing connectivity between every part of the island to drive investment, create jobs and deliver more opportunities for people in the North West. 'The Irish Government set out a clear and positive commitment to establish a new public service obligation route between Derry and Dublin in the Programme for Government this year and I am delighted that Minister Darragh O'Brien and others have wasted no time in rolling up their sleeves and getting to work. 'This is a great example of how prioritising investment across our shared island can deliver for people and communities in every part of Ireland. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with the Minister and the whole Irish Government to deliver on shared priorities.' Earlier, Mr O'Brien met with the Chief Executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council John Kelpie and management of City of Derry Airport. They discussed the progress to date on the service between Dublin and Derry City airports, and the preparatory work under way. Mr O'Brien said: 'In the context of building our shared Island, the Programme for Government includes a very clear commitment to engage with relevant stakeholders to establish air connectivity between Dublin and Derry City airports. "We had a very constructive meeting today on progressing this commitment, and once the preparatory work is completed, I expect services will commence later in 2026 following a procurement process.' Irish Department of Transport officials are also engaging closely with colleagues in the Shared Island Unit, Stormont's Department for the Economy, the UK Department for Transport, and the European Commission in relation to any State aid implications and obligations. A Market Sounding Exercise is planned by the Department this year, to better inform the level and frequency of services that may be required on this Public Service Obligation (PSO) air route. Attendees at today's meeting were Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport Charlie McConalogue; Donegal County Council Chief Executive John McLaughlin; Chief Executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council John Kelpie; Chairman of City of Derry Airport Albert Harrison; Deputy Chairman of City of Derry Airport Paul Byrne; Director of City of Derry Airport Seamus Neely; Managing Director of City of Derry Airport Steve Frazer; and Department of Transport officials.
The Journal
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
PSO levy reduction expected but it won't make much of a dent in energy bills for households
A REDUCTION IN the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy that appears on electricity bills of households and small businesses is to be announced this week. The PSO levy is charged to all electricity customers in Ireland in a bid to support the generation of electricity from sustainable, renewable and indigenous sources. The annual charge is currently €42.25. It is expected that the a reduction in the PSO levy for both households and small commercial businesses will result in savings of around €23 per year for households and €90 per year for small businesses. Government sources state that this is just one small item in a suite of measures being examined to bring the the cost of bills down for consumers. 'This Government is committed to tackling high energy costs through a wide range of measures while continuing to accelerate the decarbonisation of Ireland's energy system,' they said. The measure comes as it emerged yesterday that electricity bills will actually increase by at least €83 a year to pay for a major upgrade of the country's power system. ESB Networks has asked the energy regulator to approve a price increase that would enable it to fund investment of over €10 billion in next five years, investment that a conference heard yesterday is badly needed in order to meet the growing demands on the power grid. The government has come under increasing pressure to assist homes and businesses with electricity and gas costs, with Irish people paying some of the most expensive bills in Europe. A new group, tasked with driving down the cost for businesses, met yesterday for the first time. The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke established the new group with the aim of reducing the cost of running a business. Advertisement The forum brings together business owners, retailers, tourism operators, accounting professionals and representative groups—alongside regulators and state agencies—to look at the structural issues that are driving up costs and the steps that could be taken to mitigate them. However, for every day households, little assistance is on the horizon this year, with government stating that there will be no across-the-board energy credits this year. Irish customers do pay more, says minister Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien told The Journal this week that Irish customers, in comparison to our EU colleagues, do pay more when it comes to energy. 'We're probably the third most expensive when you average it out,' he said. The minister said he had set up an affordability task force within his department that he will be chair next week. The group is looking at options on how to drive affordability, said O'Brien, but added that how electricity prices are struck is the main issue impacting Irish householders. The cost of electricity for Irish customers is still linked at European level to the wholesale gas price, said the minister. O'Brien said he has raised the matter with the European Commission on how to break that link, but said it is a 'medium term' body of work that is needed before any changes will be seen. 'More EU states like Ireland are now producing more renewable energy, yet the energy cost itself is still linked to the wholesale gas prices. So that's something that at an EU level, I can't change that independently for Ireland, that's something that we will be having discussions on at an EU level,' said the minister. The minister said the matter will be raised again at the Energy Council in Luxembourg next week. 'There are other EU partners who would be in agreement with us that we need to reflect in our pricing the fact that we've more renewables year-on-year coming on stream, that we're becoming less dependent on gas and on fossils. So why should the base price be stuck on the basis of the wholesale gas price. I think that's a bigger discussion that we need to have,' the minister said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Travel Daily News
09-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
ERA: Revised passenger rights ignore regional airline needs
ERA warns revised EU261 fails regional airlines, risking essential connectivity with stricter rules and insufficient exemptions for PSO and short-haul operators. The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) raises concern following the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council's agreement on its position for revising the Passenger Rights Regulation, EU261. While the update includes some long-overdue improvements, such as the introduction of a binding, non-exhaustive list of extraordinary circumstances, and brings much-needed legal clarity, it ultimately fails to reflect the specific realities of regional air transport and risks weakening Europe's essential air connectivity. Raising the delay threshold from three to five hours for short-haul flights, as originally proposed, was particularly vital for regional carriers. These airlines typically operate smaller aircraft on tighter schedules, without the flexibility of standby planes or reserve crews. The Council's limited increase to just four hours is a step in the right direction but ultimately falls short. Worse still, no exemptions have been granted for PSO (Public Service Obligation) flights. These routes are often the only link for remote or underserved communities and operate on extremely tight margins. Increasing compensation from 250 euros to 300 euros, while denying PSO flights any flexibility, places an excessive burden on the carriers delivering essential services. Other new obligations, including automatic reimbursement, the right to rebook after three hours on other carriers or transport modes, and potential self-rerouting of up to 400% of ticket value, further exacerbate the economic pressure on regional operators already stretched to maintain services. 'This was a chance to strike a fair balance between protecting passengers and safeguarding the regional air services that so many rely on,' said Montserrat Barriga, Director General, ERA. 'Yet regional airlines have been overlooked. The revision in its current form risks damaging the financial sustainability of regional operations and, by extension, the connectivity of Europe's regions.' As the European Parliament now examines the text, ERA urges policymakers to reconsider. A one-size-fits-all approach fails Europe's most vulnerable air routes. A fair and future-proof regulatory framework must support the economic realities of regional aviation and protect the connectivity that keeps communities and economies across Europe connected.
