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Energy reductions - pre-emtive strike for more welfare cutbacks?

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  • 10-04-2009 9:13pm
    #1
    Richard Dower
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,634 ✭✭✭✭


    Energy regulator cuts prices on gas and electrity with another cut expected in October. Me being a habitual cynic, one might suspect that this move will give the government the grren light to cut back on the household benefits package which includes free units for gas and electrity, and one might also think the fuel allowance will also be cut in December.

    What are your thoughts :confused:


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    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,431 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    I think you're inventing stuff.

    Surely if the price is down, so should the payment.


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    #3
    Richard Dower
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,634 ✭✭✭✭Richard Dower


    So you're saying they should cuts payments?....ergo, i was right.


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    #4
    gcgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,044 ✭✭✭gcgirl


    If they bring in Carbon Tax that will bring up the Price of Coal and heating materals
    The price of gas has not decreased yet! Trying to hit the old people again would bring the government down!


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    #5
    aare
    Registered Users Posts: 1,579 ✭✭✭aare


    Richard Dower wrote: »
    Energy regulator cuts prices on gas and electrity with another cut expected in October. Me being a habitual cynic, one might suspect that this move will give the government the grren light to cut back on the household benefits package which includes free units for gas and electrity, and one might also think the fuel allowance will also be cut in December.

    What are your thoughts :confused:

    Well the value of free units of gas and electricity, as it is "per unit" actually goes down with the price of electricity...which is totally fair, and self regulating...whatever...

    The fuel allowance is a tricky one. See, given our unpredictable weather, it can NEVER be fair, whatever you do with it.

    Last winter cost far more to heat than the previous several...how do you predict that?

    It's just too hard to predict where we will all be in October...

    You do realise there is literally NO WAY to know between this all being over and the recovery being begun...and the 30s looking like a walk in the park...

    Also remember that the price of gas and electricity affects a LOT more than just welfare allowances (it's and huge cost to industry), and if it can be cut, due to falling prices, it should be.

    On the whole, the winter fuel allowance has never been realistic at best...but, if prices do fall appreciably, then the welfare base rate will have to be cut...

    But, OPENLY, TRANSPARENTLY, and only by the same percentage as the price of the actual staples claimant are likely to buy...and NOT related to the fall in the prices of luxury property or a top of the range lexus...

    I am not against cuts in line with relevant deflation (when it happens), I am against stealth cuts in line with nothing more than who can bully their landlord and who can't.


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