Dublin South West Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has said the decision by The Commission for Energy Regulation to approve an 8.5 per cent increase in Bord Gáis Energy’s domestic gas prices will mean further hardship for thousands of families.

Deputy Crowe was commenting on the announcement by the energy regulator to approve the rise that will come into effect from the 1st of October onwards.

He said: "The 8.5% increase for Bord Gáis’s non-daily metred customers will place at greater risk many thousands of additional families who will face an increasing struggle to heat their homes.

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"It is the latest hike in a series of increases to the cost of domestic heating that will increase the likelihood of fuel poverty and comes on the back of one of the wettest and coldest summers on record.

"Last year the relatively mild winter meant the rising cost of oil and gas had a less serious impact than might have been expected but if the temperature drops to the levels experienced in the winter of 2010/11 then many people, particularly the elderly, will be placed in obvious danger.

"This is just the latest example of a price rise that is forcing greater hardship on people who are already struggling to cope in the face of rising unemployment, falling wages, additional taxes and higher living costs."

(CD)