Energy Firms To Pay Taxes 'Within Weeks'

Levy to aid households & businesses

- Ferghal Blaney

ENERGY companies will pay “hundreds of millions” of euro when windfall taxes are introduced “within weeks”, the Taoiseach has claimed.

Leo Varadkar told the Dail the levies will be backdated so the companies pay on last year’s profits too.

A senior Government source told the Irish Mirror money raised will not be strictly ring fenced for cost of living cashbacks. But it is “the intention” to use the extra taxes to help struggling families and small businesses.

The Taoiseach’s comments came during Leaders’ Questions after Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shortall demanded to know what extra support the Government plans to give to cash-strapped households and businesses.