The chief executive of Bord Gáis has called for companies in the energy industry to come together to help customers deal with higher fuel prices.
Speaking at the Energy Ireland conference, John Mullins said energy prices for retail customers were likely to rise substantially, and a collective approach was needed from the industry to help deal with the issue.
He said people on low incomes would be hit by higher fuel prices, and the industry needed to act early in areas such as late payment, and help where it could with budgeting.
Earlier, a spokesman for the European Commission said it would also look at changing taxes to boost energy efficiency and help poor people hit by high fuel costs.
Spokesman Johannes Laitenberger said the commission would urge member states at a summit next week to take 'targeted measures' to help citizens hardest hit by the current situation.
He said the commission would carefully consider 'Robin Hood taxes', designed to tax huge profits at energy companies and redistribute the money to households that struggle to pay their fuel bills.
Energy companies have benefited from soaring prices of crude oil, refined products and gas, and stand accused of making 'windfall profits' by passing on to customers the cost of permits to produce carbon dioxide that they received for free. They say they need the profits to invest in new low-carbon energy sources such as wind farms, solar and wave power.
Mr Laitenberger added, however, that the EU had to be careful not to take any measures which would affect companies' investment in energy supply infrastructure.
