“Energy bills are killing jobs - EU must act now” says Longford MEP Ciaran Mullooly

In Strasbourg, before the European Parliament and Commission, Ciaran Mullooly issued a sharp warning over the escalating cost of energy across Europe and the devastating impact on workers and businesses.

“Two human stories for you this evening, one common theme, the crisis facing industry due to the extortionate price of energy in Europe, costing thousands of jobs.”

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Mullooly highlighted the closure of a local business in his constituency:

“In my constituency in Ireland, Alex Armstrong from Kildare town has worked in the hospitality industry since he was 16 years old. He worked hard in the kitchens, weekends, bank holidays, but he doesn’t do it anymore because Strong’s Café in Kildare is closing down on November the 16th because of overheads.”

“Crippling energy costs and more, it’s no longer sustainable.”

He also shared the experience of a small business owner in the Midlands:

“Joan is in her 70s. She’s worked with her husband in a busy engineering business in the Midlands since 1968. She told me she’s at the end of her tether because electricity companies, she says, have robbed them. The bills went from 2,500 euros per month to 10,000 per month.”

Mullooly demanded that EU and national legislators urgently address the structural causes of soaring energy bills, including supply chains, market regulation, and support for vulnerable businesses.

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“When is the European Commission and the Irish government going to realise that energy prices must be cut urgently? Industry can’t wait for Russian Gas to end or the super-grid to be set up. We need to move now before thousands of other jobs are lost.”