The next phase of the Government's Reduce Your Use Campaign has been launched.

The campaign supports people to manage their energy use, help save money and reduce carbon emissions.

The Reduce Your Use campaign outlines:

•practical advice to help people manage their energy use

•supports that are available to those people having trouble paying their energy bill

•advice on their consumer rights

Minister Eamon Ryan said: "We know many households are still struggling with energy costs. To address that, we have put in place a range of measures, including three electricity credits totalling €450, the second tranche of which will drop in January 2024. The Reduce Your Use campaign offers useful energy saving tips, but also identifies the Government supports that are helping people stay warm this winter.

-- Advertisement --

"The recently published 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' strategy notes that the energy we conserve can make a big contribution to costs for individual households and can help us with energy security overall. Irish people have responded really well to the Reduce Your Use campaign so far and are being more efficient in how they use their energy at home. We are starting to see changes bearing fruit already, with overall emissions falling by just under 2%, with around double that expected this year."

Research which has informed the Reduce Your Use Campaign includes recent research carried out by Amárach Research on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications which has shown that the level of worry about energy costs remains high amongst the public, with energy bills a source of cost pressure for many households. Research from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also identifies the most common high-energy consumption behaviours. These include setting heating thermostats too high, using tumble dryers frequently, or heating unoccupied rooms.

The Reduce Your Use Campaign is working with key partners including ALONE and MABS, to ensure that those most vulnerable to energy costs continue to get the support and information they need to stay warm and well.