Derry people ‘hammered’ by soaring costs - anti-fuel poverty campaigners

The recent Derry Against Fuel Poverty (DAFP) rally came as record high energy prices continue to soar and people struggle to maintain a comfortable standard of living. Oil prices alone have seen an 89% jump in 14 days.

Oil prices rose sharply over the past few weeks before falling slightly earlier this week. Petrol and diesel prices are also gone up, while gas prices have also risen significantly several times over the past year.

Local man Joe Moore spoke at the rally on behalf of the trades union having recently become a member.

He addressed the crowd, for what was his first time publicly speaking.

“This is a really important matter as we all know, because we are the people affected by it,” read Joe.

“Over the past few months we’ve seen more and more people on the streets protesting, both at home and around the world.

“We need to see working class people come together to bring about positive change.

“We shouldn’t have to rally together for this crisis to be taken seriously by our political leaders....We are not supposed to ask why hard working people are afraid to turn on our heating.

“At a time when oil companies have quadrupled their profits the wages of workers are being held down, our national insurance costs forced up alongside the rising cost of every other thing we need to live.

“We know that a rising tide of activism in working class cities around the world isn’t just something that might happen or could happen; it is unavoidable.

“It’s coming down the track at 100 miles an hour fuelled by the sorrow we feel for every child that goes hungry and every grandparent that dies in the cold of their unheated home.

“With every tragedy visited upon us, our resolve will only grow.”

The DAFP is an initiative which was formed last month with the aim of standing up for people without a voice, and for those suffering with the daily increases in energy prices.

Founding member Sinead Quinn said: “This is for the people of Derry, the people of the North and the people across these two islands that are getting absolutely hammered every day. They can’t feed their kids and they can’t heat their homes.”