An independent TD is calling on the government to give a categoric commitment that electricity supplies will not be turned off to homes across the country this winter, following reports of older people forking out €1,800 to purchase backup diesel generators.

Roscommon-Galway TD, Denis Naughten said: “The government and the regulator, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, have caused panic across the country, particularly among older people and those with medical appliances such a dialysis machines, who are afraid that their electricity will be switched off this winter.

“This cannot be allowed to happen, and government must give a categoric commitment that it will ban any threat to turn off the electricity supply to domestic customers and critical social infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and nursing homes.”

The Regional Group of independent TDs will seek such a ban next week in the Dáil as part of its request for emergency legislation - the Energy Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act - which would oblige data centres and high-demand industrial electricity customers to use their backup generators to meet the country’s needs should electricity be in short supply.

“Reports of a dramatic jump in sales of diesel-fuelled electricity generators for home use, particularly in urban areas, clearly indicates that older and vulnerable people are afraid their electricity will be switched off this winter. This must never be the case," Naughten continued.

“This is just not good enough, particularly for people who are facing into dramatic increases in their electricity bills, partly as a result of the government buying in its own diesel generators to back up the growing electricity demand for data centres and large industrial users."

The political grouping has said that the emergency legislation it is proposing should provide for:

The independent deputies have said that these measures should be introduced for a period of 36 months until Ireland overcomes the current electricity supply crisis.