Wicklow TD Reiterates Calls For Wide Solar Rollout With Record Numbers Behind On Their Bills

Social Democrats TD says Government failure to accelerate solar power is leaving families exposed heading into another winter of hardship

Households across Wicklow are among the many of hundreds of thousands nationwide feeling the pinch of soaring energy bills

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow Jennifer Whitmore, her party's spokesperson on energy, has renewed a call for a major expansion of accessible solar infrastructure.

She is arguing that it offers a practical way to bring down bills for homeowners while keeping Ireland on track for a just transition to cleaner energy.

Record arrears figures paint a grim picture

New figures reveal the scale of the crisis facing households, not just in Wicklow but right across the country.

According to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), April saw electricity arrears climb to a fresh record high, with 322,298 customers behind on their bills.

Of particular concern is that 186,380 of those households are more than three months in arrears — a milestone Deputy Whitmore has described as 'devastating'.

Gas customers haven't been spared either. A further 185,940 households were in arrears on their gas bills in April, a number that has been climbing steadily month on month.

For many families in Wicklow, where rural and commuter households already juggle high home-heating and transport costs, the figures will come as little surprise.

"Head-in-the-sand approach" not working, says Whitmore

Deputy Whitmore didn't hold back in her assessment of Government policy, pointing out that Ireland was already saddled with some of the highest energy costs in Europe even before the latest conflict in the Middle East added further pressure to global energy markets.

She noted that when the number of customers in arrears first passed the half-million mark, the Government failed to act — allowing the situation to deteriorate even further since.

"The Government's head-in-the-sand approach to this crisis is not good enough," she said, calling for immediate, targeted supports for low- and middle-income households. The Social Democrats have repeatedly pushed for a €400 energy credit for households earning under €70,000.

Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore of the Social Democrats in conversation with East Coast FM's Declan Meehan on The Morning Show

Solar for All: the party's answer to soaring bills

Central to the Social Democrats' pitch is their "Solar for All" plan, which Whitmore says would make solar power a realistic option for far more homes in Wicklow and nationwide.

The proposal includes:

• Doubling the solar installation grant to €3,600, making panels more affordable for ordinary households

• Bringing solar panels into the Warmer Homes Scheme, potentially saving families an average of €450 a year on electricity

• Rolling out new plug-in solar technology, which would let households generate their own power without the cost and disruption of a full rooftop installation

For a county like Wicklow — with its mix of rural smallholdings, coastal towns and commuter estates — advocates argue that easier access to solar could make a real dent in household bills while cutting reliance on imported gas and oil.

Warning over looming winter

With energy bills already causing hardship during the milder spring and summer months, Whitmore warned that a cold winter without significant Government intervention would be "unthinkable" for households already stretched thin.

She called directly on Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien to act before the situation worsens further, saying families should not be left to face the coming cold snap alone.

"Accelerating the delivery of accessible solar infrastructure is a sure way to tackle unassailable energy costs while supporting a just transition at the same time," Deputy Whitmore said. "The Government must adopt this approach before this crisis spirals even further out of control."