A Longford/Westmeath TD is insisting the government is backing people all the way to get through the winter.
Minister Peter Burke's comments come following yesterday's Budget announcement which will see three €200 energy credit payments given to all households.
While opposition called on the Government to introduce price caps on soaring energy costs, the planning Minister claims Sinn Fein's proposal had no cost details and would end in February.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show earlier the Fine Gael representative stated Government have kept money aside in the event energy costs remain high after the winter.
"What the government are doing is they're backing people to get to the other side of the winter and what they're doing as well is, and this is critical, is keeping some money in reserve so we can act further and intervene if needed. Government said it will be ready to act. You will have the opposition spokesperson on your show shortly and one question that should be put to him is that, their energy cap that they proposed and don't know how much it will cost finishes at the end of February, what kind of certainty does that give for pensioners who are worried about turning on the heating or the lights"?
However Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty says government hasn't given certainty over energy costs.
"In the last week the Netherlands and the Danes said they're going to reduce electricity prices and give price certainty to their customers. The Wall Street Journal are reporting that Germany, a conservative country and fiscally prudent, are saying they are going to provide certainty to their customers during the winter period. Why? Because as a government you have to protect people in the middle of a crisis".
