Simon Harris

That is not true.

The Deputy presumed to deliver my lines. Let me have a go at responding to him. First, as we have discussed, and I understand and acknowledge that this is how the rules of the House work, nobody is about to vote on anything other than an amendment to have a report on mineral oil tax. We need to be honest about the effect of this. No matter what way anybody votes, this is an amendment to request a …

It is about the record level of funding for disability and health services, making sure we were able to increase the State pension and ensuring more people qualify for the carer's allowance. People in the Deputies' constituencies benefit from those measures.

No matter how much they wish to reduce the budget to a conversation simply about one element of economic policy in terms of the cost of living, every measure in the budget, right across Departments, is about trying to help people in this country. Indeed, there are many measures in areas Deputies highlighted and where they asked for increased spending. They have seen today, with the publication of …

As Deputies would expect, I reject how they frame our budget.

I move amendment No. 31: In page 97, to delete lines 36 and 37, and in page 98, to delete lines 1 to 19 and substitute the following: “ “Supply and construction of housing as part of a social policy. 9B. (1) In this paragraph— ‘apartment block’ means a multi-storey building that comprises, or will comprise, not less than 3 apartments with grouped or common access; ‘completed’ has the same mea…

No, I did not.

Read the transcript.

It does reduce the cost of apartments.

It does reduce the cost of apartments.

It does reduce the cost of constructing apartments.

The 15th report.

I move: (1) THAT the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 (No. 31 of 2010), be amended— (a) in section 46(1) – (i) in paragraph (a), by the insertion of "(cac)," after "(cab),", (ii) in paragraph (c), by the insertion of ", (cac)" after"(cab)", (iii) in paragraph (cab), by the substitution of "25 November 2025" for "31 December 2030", and (iv) by the insertion of the following paragraph af…

I thank colleagues for their contributions and interventions. First, on the issue raised by Deputy Collins, I will certainly make contact with Irish Water. I have a clear view that State agencies should meet public representatives. There is a thing called democracy. It is important that State agencies engage respectfully, regardless of where people are on the political spectrum, and respect the ma…

I move: (1) THAT section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) is amended, in subparagraph (ii) of the definition in subsection (1) of "qualifying residence", by the substitution of "paragraph (c) or (cac), as the case may be, of section 46(1)," for "section 46(1)(c)". (2) THAT this Resolution shall have effect on and from 26 November 2025. (3) IT is hereby declared that it …

I am very conscious of the cold weather in the past number of days and the fact that a cold weather alert issued from Met Éireann in the past hour or so but I want people at home - I want to speak specifically to people at home - to know that unlike the assertions made by Deputy Doherty, this Government is intervening and taking real actions to help people with fuel poverty this winter and in the …

They are real people.

I am sure Deputy Doherty accepts that in those numbers - those large numbers - are many people who are benefiting, and will benefit, directly from the financial assistance from this Government towards energy costs that I have just outlined, but he never makes those points. His party has a partitionist approach when it comes to energy policy.

Sinn Féin does not think it is enough for somebody in County Louth to have €1,000 in fuel allowance but thinks someone up the road in Armagh should get by on just £100.

Deputy Doherty's party leads the Executive. The First Minister of Northern Ireland is from Sinn Féin. The finance Minister in Northern Ireland-----

Sinn Féin Deputies get upset when I bring this up.

The finance Minister in Northern Ireland is from Sinn Féin.

The economy Minister in Northern Ireland is from Sinn Féin. The Executive is headed up by Sinn Féin. It is the largest party in the Assembly.

It has not brought forward a cost-of-living package. The fuel allowance is a paltry £100 to £300 compared with €1,000 here.

To the people at home this winter, access our supports but do not fall for Sinn Féin's hypocrisy.