Leo: Give domestic customers energy discounts

Taoiseach vows action on bills |  Suppliers must tackle prices

- FERGHAL BLANEY

Political Editor LEO Varadkar has warned energy firms that if they fail to hand down discounts to householders his response "won't be just about polite encouragement".

The tough-talking Taoiseach said the Government will "expect" the recent fall in international oil and gas prices to be passed to domestic customers through cheaper bills.

If this doesn't happen, Mr Varadkar told Labour leader Ivana Bacik who raised the issue during Leaders' Questions in the Dail, the Government will act, with windfall taxes in their arsenal.

Mr Varadkar also said that for companies like Electric Ireland parent firm, the ESB, which is majority-owned by the Government, an extra "special dividend" could be clawed back.