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nearly over. The Government is the main driver of that crisis. We often hear it blame foreign elements for the crisis. Let us consider fuel and energy in particular. Last year, the Government took €4.1 billion in fuel taxes. It was the biggest take in fuel taxes … saying how difficult and terrible the situation is, but the Government is jacking up the taxes on fuel that are putting people into debt in a cost-of-living crisis. It is not just the case that carbon taxes are where they are at the moment. The Government

homes across the State. For this Government, the cost-of-living crisis is only something it trots out and acknowledges in the run-up to an election. With no election on the horizon, we see fuel taxes going up, college fees going up and energy prices increasing

their energy bills, during a homelessness crisis with over 5,000 children in shelters and bed and breakfasts, and when small businesses in rural Ireland see their livelihoods slipping away due to high energy costs and fuel hikes. This is the time to support the people. With billions

ruled out energy credits which will cause energy and fuel poverty for many households. We need to see an increase in the fuel allowance and household benefits packages to take into account these increases in energy costs. Many working families earn a decent wage but are struggling … need an energy credit for all households in the upcoming budget. This country is still in a cost-of-living crisis and providing an energy credit will go some way at least to alleviating many of these costs for households, and indeed for many businesses out there that

Government to decide that it can take the money from them at a time of a cost-of-living crisis is outrageous. In-work poverty remains a serious problem in this State and the Government’s policy significantly contributes to this. There is an unacceptable risk that this … constituency of County Clare. People are working hard but are still struggling to pay their bills. Rents and mortgages, food and fuel prices and the cost of everything else are increasing constantly. In late summer, there are extra expenses relating to back-to-school costs. During the winter

sure as the kids go back to school, there is a school bus crisis. It is incredible that there is a crisis every single year. Every TD in this House has been chasing their tail and chasing around the country to find solutions in individual cases … people into public transport and it is using a stick to do so. In this regard, there was €4.1 billion charged in fuel taxes last year and €1 billion in carbon tax. It is not that people do not want to use public transport. People are dying

five children, over 225,000, live in families below the poverty line when housing costs are accounted for; — the cost-of-living crisis is deepening with annualised food price inflation in August up by 5 per cent; — Ireland already has some of the most expensive energy costs … scourge of vacancy and dereliction; and — the introduction of targeted energy payments, an extension of the moratorium on disconnections, an increase to the Fuel Allowance payment and widened eligibility to include those on the Working Family Payment. This Government is presiding over record levels of child poverty

impact of this across a whole litany of failures that face children every single day, including record child homelessness and the CAMHS crisis. Children are waiting unconscionably long times for disability assessments. This Government is breaking the law on therapies. I could also mention scoliosis and spinal waiting … core welfare and child income supports, and introducing targeted measures for low- and middle-income families. We would cut family bills by extending fuel support to low-income working families, moving all prepaid meter households and expanding free hot school meals, schoolbooks and school transport. Communities need

glad to get the opportunity to talk about the energy crisis. I thank Sinn Féin for giving it to us. What I have to say I have said several times before. Since Bord na Móna was closed down by the previous Government in 2020, the cost of electricity … something about it. Where individuals build their own houses, the banks are stopping them from putting in chimneys or having solid fuel heating because they want the energy rating as high as possible. Chimneys always let bad air out and good air in. The different approach is hurting

west Limerick in order to allow the company to sell its clean energy to the grid. We are talking about an energy crisis, and the ESB is looking for €3.8 million. During the first part of the meeting on the matter, the ESB looked for €1 million … which has allowed the ESB to make such profits. If electricity is produced through the use of fossil fuels, higher tariffs are charged. The ESB includes a reference stating that 70% of your bill is from green energy but it charges the tariffs relating to fossil fuels

energy bills facing every household and business up and down the country already on their knees with the cost-of-living crisis. More energy increases come at a time when we are already paying the highest levels of energy prices in Europe. That is a badge of dishonour … enough oil for a couple of days for heating? That is the reality for too many people I know who are living in fuel poverty. In the rip-off, get prices under control and support struggling families. That is what the Government needs to do. I know

picture here is that these energy companies need to be reined in. This gross profiteering in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis needs to be stamped out. This oligarchical-like behaviour needs to be stamped out. The energy market is supposed to be competitive … centres are having on our water usage and our emissions. The massive energy demands from these data centres means they guzzle through fossil fuels and are taking basically all of the relatively small amount of new renewable energy we are currently producing. This renewable energy could be used