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have been put to the pin of their collar for years now. Virtually everyone is being touched in some way by this fossil fuel crisis. While the Government has produced a €750 million package, however necessary it was, it was designed to placate sectoral interests. It has done … energy independence and more developed renewable generation capacity have been able to weather this storm far more effectively. Look at Spain. Following the fuel crisis that arose as a result of Putin’s illegal war on Ukraine, they turbo-charged their solar energy capacity and have been largely

come for this windfall tax to be reintroduced, and that is what we in the Labour Party are calling for today. This fossil fuel crisis has touched more or less every household and small business in the country. We know that 500,000 households are already in arrears … people in the here and now but the longer-term ambition has to be reducing our dependence on the fossil fuels that have caused this crisis. That means putting the supports in place to help people switch to EVs, particularly in more rural areas with a less developed

Families and businesses are now living through the second global fossil fuel crisis in five years. We are increasingly vulnerable as long as we depend on energy imports. Unless we take action to diversify away from fossil fuels, we will again be hit by the next crisis. When

recently agreed at Cabinet to provide €750 million of additional money to support people suffering as a result of the fuel crisis across a number of sectors. Most importantly, this is done in a way that supports everyone who uses motorised transport through reductions at the pumps. There … incurring increased travel costs, be it through their car or travelling on a bus, train or other vehicle, which all have heavy fuel costs, the idea behind the excise duty cut is that every household, family and student in a car or bus will avail of some sort

opportunity to speak on preparation for any type of future impact on our State. The one we had recently was obviously the ongoing fuel crisis related to Trump's illogical and downright dumb actions in the Strait of Hormuz and the way the United States and Israel

them. That is one reason we in the Labour Party proposed a free public transport pilot for the duration of the present fossil fuel crisis. Our public transport networks need massive upgrades and expansions to build on the good work of the previous Government. My colleagues, Deputies Sheehan

fossil-fuel crisis is a time when we need to have a catalyst to move more towards renewables. I am regularly contacted by households that would really love to move to renewables and deeply retrofit their homes, but, unfortunately, they just cannot afford to do so. Even though

Government can justify a situation where predominantly elderly people are being left without fuel to heat their homes, especially during an international fuel crisis, not just last winter but also, as seems likely, next winter. That is the consequence of this. I am simply asking the Minister

Would the Minister look at the costings for a temporary free travel scheme for students affected by the current fuel crisis? We are not looking for this to be a permanent measure but, rather, a temporary one to get them over this period. Such a scheme could lift

During Covid, it suited employers to deal with it in that way. Right now, we are starting to see that in the existing fuel crisis, it is once again going to be the case that they are looking for people to avail of flexible and remote working arrangements

proposing this mini-budget because it is pouring down on people out there. We are in the midst of the worst fuel crisis in the history of the planet. What does this Government decide to do to distract people this week? It says we should discuss nuclear power

lack of targeted measures is galling. There is the example of the Panda waste collection company increasing monthly fees due to the fuel crisis and being outside of the scope of the support package. An increase of €12 a month is not nominal. How are you supposed

prices in Europe. Why? It is because their Government invested heavily in renewables. By contrast, the Government's response to this crisis is to subsidise fossil fuels, further locking us into polluting, unreliable energy. The Government had other options. It had progressive options. It could do what … implement the clear measures that we have set out here - targeted measures that will support struggling families in a cost-of-living crisis. Stop wasting time and money that people simply do not have to spare

choked with traffic, we have some of the highest asthma rates in Europe and in a cost of living crisis, households are spending a fortune on fuel and car costs because they have no other choice. There is endless outrage in this House expressed about bike sheds, particularly

year under the rent-a-room scheme without it affecting their eligibility for the fuel allowance. In the context of the housing crisis, the Taoiseach and I know of many cases where adult children have had to move back in with their elderly parents. It is unfair that

Middle East has once again exposed the vulnerability of the Irish economy to imported fossil fuels. According to the International Energy Agency, IEA, we now face a global energy crisis greater than the 1970s oil crisis and the Ukraine war combined. Like the rest of the world, energy … package of supports worth €750 million, among the largest package of any EU member state. Longer term, our strategic dependency on fossil fuels has major macroeconomic and fiscal implications. The evidence from across Europe is clear. Moving towards domestic sources of renewable energy increases our energy security, boosts

additional €20. We will do more in the forthcoming budget. If you look at the changes we have made to the fuel allowance scheme, a two adult household will benefit by about €2,300 per annum as a result of that. A lone parent family will benefit … undoubtedly created huge pressures all round. The biggest issue is uncertainty about how long this crisis will last and the direction it will take in terms of the impact on fuel prices, which will then impact everything else. We have to be very careful too of the inflationary

businesses. Deputies will be aware that we have brought in targeted measures in what is an international crisis in order to support 470,000 households. Those measures included extending the fuel allowance to those on the working family payment scheme. This is a direct payment to households. Insofar

screaming into doing so. Even then, it could not get it right. Unsustainably high energy and fuel prices in this State further compound a pre-existing cost-of-living crisis that has been going on for the last number of years. We keep saying this but, cynically, when … work. What about the ordinary person stuck on the M50, N3 or N4 trying to get into work? They are burning up fuel they are paying much more for at the pumps. Just this week we learned that Ireland has the highest energy rates in Europe. I think

question. After what has been a tumultuous couple of months, I reflect on the fact that this is the only question on the fuel support schemes during the hour and a half we have this morning, which I will take as an indication that the interventions we have … fruit and amenity crops. I fully recognise the impact of the Middle East crisis on the sector and, in particular, certain subsectors within it. Indeed, the announcement on 12 of April of a fuel support scheme made specific reference to the horticulture sector, as I have outlined. This

needed to support struggling households but we recognise that temporary measures alone will not solve this crisis. Unless our energy market is fundamentally reformed and our reliance on international fossil fuel markets significantly reduced, households will continue to suffer from one global conflict to the next. I thank

plan next week. It is anticipated that this plan will focus not only on short-term crisis support but also on structural measures to reduce EU dependency on imported synthetic fossil fuel-based fertilisers. Turning to Deputy Aindrias Moynihan’s point, there definitely is not just a short

every day. The issue relating to the cost of electricity and the energy crisis in Ireland is a serious one. That is why this Government, through the Minister, Deputy Calleary, is expanding the fuel allowance. We extended the allowance for a further month in order to help people

projects, investment in cycling is not a frivolous extravagance. In a climate crisis, we need to support people to make the transition to cycling in order to help reduce emissions from fossil fuels and reduce dependence on private cars. I ask the Taoiseach and those on all sides

having serious conversations about costs is that ordinary people had to take to the streets to be heard. The recent fuel protests did not happen by accident. They happened because people felt ignored and because workers, families, farmers, fishermen and small business owners simply could not take … Government finally to recognise how severe the situation had become. That is the hard truth. When we talk about the cost-of-living crisis, let us talk about the real numbers people are dealing with every single day. Food is one of the basics. A sliced

Department has assessed the extent to which increased profits among major oil and petroleum companies during the current energy crisis are contributing to higher consumer energy and fuel costs; if consideration is being given to additional windfall taxation measures to support households facing significant cost-of-living pressures