A supermarket owner in Co. Clare has taken to social media to highlight her astonishing electricity bill, as the energy crisis continues to spiral out of control.
Flora Crowe, who helps to run the family-owned Crowe’s Gala Supermarket and Bakery in Co. Clare, received a €6,500 energy bill towards the end of 2021, which rose to €8,000 by the year’s end.
However, now a year later, the figure is very different.
“How’s your day going?” Crowe asked on Twitter, as she posted a photo of her €20,803.41 energy bill from Bord Gáis.
Many people reacted strongly to the post, with Independent Tipperary Councillor Séamie Morris asking “Oh my God – how are businesses going to stay open?”
Oh my god .how are businesses going to stay going
— Cllr. Séamie Morris MCC (@Nenaghman) November 8, 2022
“Dear God, that is surreal,” said another user.
6.5k last year after we refitted the shop with new LEDs/ fridges etc
— Flora Crowe (@floracrowe) November 8, 2022
Yet another said how the figure was “absolutely shocking and totally unsustainable for a small business owner.”
Of course they are tax deductible
— Rafty (@CR10Rafty) November 8, 2022
Additionally, Dave Coughlan, who works with a manufacturing plant, posted his business’ gas bill, which amounted to an astonishing €131,876.
Ours! pic.twitter.com/nCuMavWlYn
— Dave (@davecoughlan80) November 8, 2022
Despite these shocks, more bad news may be on the way for Irish businesses, with Cillian O’Donoghue, director of policy at Eurelectric, telling an Oireachtas committee meeting earlier this year that the energy crisis may not just last this winter, but next winter as well.
Irish households are in for “two tough winters” as a result of the energy crisis the Oireachtas committee on European Union Affairs has heard.https://t.co/tniHdNYQog
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) October 19, 2022