Pearse Doherty

I was disappointed when you threatened them with the Army.

233. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider the maximum removal of excise duty, both carbon and non-carbon, from green diesel, given the vital role of green diesel in primary production like farming and other sectors such as construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26926/26]

The Minister steadfastly refused to cut excise duty on green diesel, despite all of the evidence and the knowledge that farmers are under serious pressure. The reason is that the excise duty on green diesel is carbon tax. It is the carbon component. Does the Tánaiste know something? A farmer does not care what it is called. He does not care whether it is excise, carbon or whatever else. He just kn…

It would cost €14 million a month to actually remove carbon tax from green diesel, the cost of which has gone through the roof for farmers. Talk to agricultural contractors and talk to ordinary farmers. Talk to the farmers who are telling me that this scheme, which we have not seen as the applications are not even open yet because this a Government that dithers, delays and only acts when it is pus…

The people backed me and-----

Talk to the people and the Tánaiste will get that message very clearly.

You are living in this bubble too long, Simon. Go and talk to ordinary people.

For the past two elections, we have had more seats that Fine Gael.

The Minister needs to get his head out of the clouds and sand and talk to ordinary people. He can pontificate all he wants, point fingers at me and say I am isolated and people do not back me in here. I do not give a damn because I know that I am on the side of ordinary Irish people. I know that people are being pushed to the pin of their collar. I have met them on the streets and in homes across …

I am not asking the Minister. He should not be stupid. He should not be silly.

234. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider the maximum removal of mineral oil tax on home heating oil given the substantial price increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26927/26]

I am sure the Minister will not listen to this either.

He always listens. The last time the Minister listened the Government was trying to turn the Army on our own people. That is the listening. That is the reaction we got from Government.

Let me just say this here-----

Some 750,000 households across the State rely on home heating oil to heat their homes. Last night, at a public meeting attended by hundreds in Galway to discuss the cost-of-living crisis, I spoke to a carer who went into a home of an elderly woman. She worked all her life, paid her taxes and did everything right and apologised for the house being so cold because the heating had run out. The Minist…

I do not want it suspended; I want it cancelled.

This is the problem. The Minister does not understand the scale of the crisis or the lived experience of many people across the State. Before we had a fuel crisis, 320,000 families could not pay their electricity bills. Families were pushed to the pin of the collar because of increases in grocery prices, rents and insurance and childcare costs that were like a second mortgage. A generation felt ho…

The Tánaiste's mantra again speaks to me of the fact that he does not understand where people are at. Does the Tánaiste think the woman who wrote to me does not know what she is earning? Of course she knows what she is earning but she also knows that the cost of electricity has gone through the roof. She also knows that the weekly shop is a lot more expensive than it was last week, that the cost o…

What is she supposed to do? Should she wear another jacket or tighten her belt? What advice do you have? Should she put on another coat?

That is nonsense.

Are you saying they are just stupid and not managing their budgets? What are you saying?

They cannot afford their heat.

They cannot afford their heat.

You need to have a bit of cop-on.

You know that excise duty cannot be reduced in the North.