End Fuel Poverty!

national | consumer issues | opinion/analysis Tuesday December 20, 2011 12:00 by Pól Ó Cionsalígh paulbkinsella at gmail dot com An Chúlóg, Báile Átha 17 0851478100

Stop Families Shivering In Silence!

It’s January.  It’s freezing. Christmas emptied the coffers and now the bills are starting to bite. As the government cuts the eligibility period for the Fuel Allowance, it’s time to tell the government that we’ve had enough!

Fuel poverty is a public issue, not a private pain. Many families are shivering, out of sight, behind closed doors. The government may want to keep it this way, but I say this can't go on. We can find ways forward, collectively, by making ourselves heard by the government. But what do we demand?  Some things are clear: Decent shelter and warmth are a right, not a privilege. We should all have well insulated, warm homes and affordable bills that don't make us choose between eating and heating. But how do we achieve this? What alternatives are there to a corporate controlled energy industry? How do we shift to sustainable, renewable energy? Stop shivering in silence, let’s warm-up together!