There’s a call for the government to tweak its support scheme to help businesses with increases in energy costs.
That’s according to Pádraig Hanrahan, manager of Ballybunion Health and Leisure Centre, which has had to switch off the jacuzzi because of energy costs.
The jacuzzi at Ballybunion Health and Leisure Centre is costing €3,500 a month to operate.
The electricity bill for last month was €9,244, while in the same month last year it was €3,546, which represents a 160% increase.
Centre manager, Pádraig Hanrahan, says they’re looking at grants to install an alternative heat system for the jacuzzi, which would be more energy efficient.
Mr Hanrahan says under the government’s Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), Ballybunion Health and Leisure Centre doesn’t qualify for support.
He says the scheme is based on the unit charge of electricity and not on the actual bill; the centre’s electricity bill was up 46%, but the qualifying figure is 50%, so it didn’t quality.
The centre’s gas bill, however, was up over 50%, but it doesn’t quality, as its gas is delivered to tanks on the grounds; it’s not from a mains gas line as the TBESS scheme criteria stipulates.
Pádraig Hanrahan feels this needs to change.
