Sinn Féin's Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty has said the number of people who have fallen into arrears on their energy bills is "nothing short of alarming".
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities yesterday published figures that showed close to 300,000 households had some form of arrears on their electricity bills in a three-month period to September.
There were 187,000 customers who were 90 days or more behind on their bills, an increase of 26,000.
The figures showed 180,000 households were also in arrears over the same period, which is 26% of residential customers.
Speaking in the Dáil during Leaders' Questions, the Donegal TD said: "These are not just numbers, they are cold living rooms where families sit wrapped in coats because they cannot switch on the heat.
"They are older people rationing warmth, terrified of opening the next bill, they are parents hiding their final notices, hoping that their next pay packet will stretch far enough to keep the lights on."
Mr Doherty put it to Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris that "all of this is happening because your Government is doing nothing to tackle the rip-off and keep prices under control".
He went on to criticise Mr Harris over the discontinuation of the energy credit as energy companies put prices up.
The Tánaiste said that he is "very conscious" of the cold weather in the past few days and added that the "Government is intervening and taking real actions to help people with fuel poverty this winter and in the here and now".
Mr Harris said that the fuel allowance had increased, and that more households are getting access to direct assistance with their bills "than ever before".
He said that those in receipt of the Working Family Payment can now also apply for the allowance, while pensioners can also avail of an allowance under the Household Benefits Package.
He said over 500,000 homes are being supported.
Mr Harris added that the Government had frozen the VAT rate, while Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien has also been engaging with energy companies over pricing.
"I want to be very clear, nobody should be afraid to turn on the heat during the cold weather."
Mr Harris said that there is "always more to do", and asked Mr Doherty to "please don’t mislead people".
Mr Doherty accused the Tánaiste of not doing enough, and "consciously making it impossible for people to stay warm this winter."
The Tánaiste responded saying that within the figures there are "many people" benefiting from other measures brought in, before accusing Mr Doherty of taking a "partitionist approach" to energy policy.
"You don’t think it’s enough for someone in Co Louth to have €1,000 in fuel allowance this winter, but you think someone up the road in Armagh should get by on just £100."
Mr Harris said Sinn Féin has not brought forward a cost-of-living package in Northern Ireland despite being the largest party in the Assembly.
