Elderly woman used savings for late husband’s headstone to pay electricity bill, Sinn Féin TD tells Dáil

An elderly woman in Co Laois had to use money she had set aside for her late husband’s headstone to pay her electricity bill, Sinn Féin has told the Dáil.

Longford-Westmeath TD Sorca Clarke said the woman received an electricity bill for €760 which she could not afford and that her family visited her on Tuesday night and found her “sitting in the dark”.

“She applied for an additional needs payment to help cover the cost [of the bill],” Ms Clarke said during Leaders’ Questions on Wednesday.

“Shockingly, she was refused support. Why? Because she has a small amount put away from her pension over the last year saved for a headstone for her late husband’s grave.

“Because of that refusal for help, she was forced to spend the money on the electricity bill instead of the headstone.”

The Sinn Féin TD said the woman’s husband’s one-year anniversary was approaching and she was “distraught” she would not have a headstone for his grave on time.

“When her family called around to visit her last night, they found her sitting in the dark, terrified of switching on the lights, worried sick about what the next bill might be and when these nightmare costs are going to end. This is appalling,” Ms Clarke added.

Ms Clarke said the cost of living crisis was pushing households “to the brink” with “price hike after price hike” pushing workers and families to “the pin of their collar”.

“It is plain to see that people cannot afford Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in Government any longer. People are at their wits’ end,” she said.

Ms Clarke asked the Minister for Justice Simon Harris what action was the Government going to take to help cut energy costs and support to weather the cost of living crisis.

In response, Mr Harris said the cost of living crisis was real but that the Government had taken action including extending the fuel allowance.

Mr Harris said the Government would not be following the example of former British prime minister Liz Truss and introducing price caps.

“We will not bring in a plan that is bad for the economy, bad for households, bad for climate ... instead what we will do is legislate for a windfall tax and hit companies where it hurts, on their profits,” he said.