THE DÁIL HAS heard the story of an elderly woman who was forced to dip into savings put aside to buy a headstone for her late husband to pay her electricity bill.

Sinn Féin’s education spokesperson, Sorca Clarke, told the Dáil that the woman received an electricity bill for €760 and that she was unable to receive an additional needs payment due to having money set aside for the headstone.

At Leaders’ Questions this afternoon, Clarke was speaking on the cost-of-living, saying that “people can’t stretch anymore”.

“There is nothing else left to cut back on,” Clarke said.

Clarke said that the woman’s husband had passed away in 2022 and that the anniversary was approaching soon, but that she was forced to spend her savings to pay for her “colossal” energy bill.

“She received an electricity bill for €760. A colossal amount of money that she simply cannot afford,” Clarke said.

“She applied for an additional needs payment to help cover the cost. Shockingly, she was refused support. Why? Because she has a small amount put away from her pension over the last year, saved for a headstone for her late husband’s grave.

“Because of that refusal for help, she was forced to spend the money on the electricity bill instead of the headstone.”

Clarke said that that the woman was “distraught” as her husband’s anniversary was approaching and that she will not have gotten a headstone in time.

“Yet when her family called around to visit her last night, they found her sitting in the dark, terrified of switching on the lights. Worried sick about what the next bill might be and when these nightmare costs are going to end.

“Minister, this is appalling and wants us to say about us as a society that we’re living under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that this is the lived reality for a lady of that age,” Clarke said.

In response, Justice Minister Simon Harris said that noted the case Clarke had raised, saying that he accepted the elderly woman’s struggle.

However, he said that Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys had brought forward measures in the last budget to increase the number of people who receive the fuel allowance.

Harris also added that the Government had provided three €200 energy credits as part of Budget 2023 and that Ministers were taking action “every day”.