Hard hit households have been thumped again with yet another energy price hike.
Gas and electricity supplier Energia yesterday announced fresh increases of up to €426-a-year extra.
The company said it will raise home energy prices from April 25 – when average bills will go up by 15%.
This means an average €3.45 weekly rise (€180-a-year extra) for gas customers, an average €4.75 weekly increase (€247-a-year extra) for electricity customers, and an average €8.20 weekly increase (€426-a-year extra) for dual fuel customers.
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It is the second blow in as many weeks for families across the country, following last week’s price hike by Bord Gais Energy – which is raising its average electricity bills from April 15 by 27% (€340-a-year extra) and average gas bills up by 39% (€350-a- year extra).
Ashling Murphy
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla have met the heartbroken family of Ashling Murphy, the young teacher tragically killed while out for a run.
The royal couple requested the chat with her mum and dad, Kathleen and Raymond, before their sixth official visit to Ireland.
Ashling’s siblings, Amy and Cathal, as well as the 23-year-old’s boyfriend Ryan, also met the pair at the Bru Boru centre at the Rock of Cashel in Co Tipperary.
Prince Charles gave a moving speech about violence against women.
He said: “Last year, my wife called on the entire community – male and female – to dismantle the lies, words and actions that enable so much violence against women.
“In your country and mine, in the intervening year, we have continued to witness appalling attacks."
Cold weather
Ireland is set for a wintry change in weather and could "feel like January" in just a few days time.
Temperatures could dip below zero and snow showers could land just a days after unseasonably warm weather in Ireland this week.
The mercury hit 17C in some parts of the country this week with unusually mild conditions.
But Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather is anticipating the big change early next week.
He tweeted on Friday night: "Confidence increasing on the weather models for a blast of cold weather next week with a risk of some wintry showers. April could start off more like you’d expect January to!"
Dr Holohan steps down
Dr Tony Holohan has announced he is stepping down as Chief Medical Officer stating it has been a “privilege” to serve in the role in the pandemic.
Dr Holohan, who has been CMO at the Department of Health since 2008, is taking up a new job as Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership at Trinity College Dublin from July.
He said: “It has been a great privilege for me to serve as Chief Medical Officer and to have had an opportunity to be directly involved in issues of great importance and relevance to the health of the people of Ireland.”
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