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would not be a massive revenue impact from it if we were to incentivise it. We are now in the context of a fuel crisis. We are aware we cannot control the wholesale price of fuel in this country because of wars in Iran, in the Middle East … Ukraine. We understand the crisis is there. We came back at the end of August to vote to ensure the reduction in the excise on fuel continued because we know we have to safeguard it. We are talking about doing this and reducing the carbon tax but here

have no doubt that it will continue to do so. As regards rural Ireland, I know better than most the impact that the fuel crisis is having on households in my constituency and others. I appreciate that people living in rural Ireland are twice as likely … facts are that this Government has acted time and again to provide for households at risk of fuel poverty, and to ease the burden on all households impacted by the crisis. The upcoming budget will build on the work of budget 2026 to protect households from rising energy

this State to pay a premium. These are households that very often have no other alternatives available to them. The ongoing fuel price crisis shows us that when the cost of fuel and home heating oil increases, it is the most vulnerable and most disadvantaged people who feel

important price determinants. Energy is central to every social and economic activity in Ireland but we remain too dependent on imported fossil fuels. The energy crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East highlights that we must reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and develop

important price determinants. Energy is central to every social and economic activity in Ireland, but we remain too dependent on imported fossil fuels. The energy crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East highlights why we must reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and develop

small business people – nearly everyone – are really frustrated with the Government’s approach to helping people in this crisis. Following the fuel protests and growing public anger, the Government introduced limited temporary measures. They were welcomed by the people but now when we see the price of diesel … taxes while taking an enormous share of the profit paid at the pump. We must look at that figure. Where a litre of fuel costs €2.15, the Taoiseach’s Government is taking approximately 91 cent from every litre through excise duty, carbon tax levies

already severe cost-of-living crisis; and — the Government is directly contributing to this cost-of-living crisis by refusing to introduce price controls on fuel, energy or groceries, abolishing energy credits, enabling data centres to push up energy prices, gutting rent controls, underfunding retrofitting and solar panels … tech in terms of their data centres. They are the ones causing and profiting from the climate crisis. However, we also need to get off our addiction to fossil fuels. We need to get people to switch to cleaner and cheaper renewable energy as quickly as possible

across this State, from Donegal right down to Cork, and everywhere in between, that are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. It is not just fuel or home heating oil; it is the price of groceries, rent, insurance and electricity. Life is just bearing down on them

homes, travelling to work and meeting other essential household expenses. Such is the scale of the energy crisis and the cost-of-living crisis more broadly that we now have more than half a million gas and electricity accounts in arrears. The pressures are very real … Deputies are seeking to subsidise indefinitely in this motion. The existence of a cost-of-living crisis does not remove the need to address Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels. The experience of recent years has demonstrated why reducing that dependence should be an economic and social priority

most in the history of the State and in the jaws of a cost-of-living crisis. Just when people were suffering significantly in regard to the cost of fuel, the Government reached into their pockets and took more money out of them. It is very important

Dublin North-West. These price hikes will have a seriously negative impact on families in this cost-of-living crisis. Particularly now with the high cost of fuel, many of my constituents are becoming more dependent on public transport. There has been an overhaul of the provision

been contacting me each week in shock at the huge jump in the price of home-heating oil and fuel for their vehicles. Seven months into the crisis and, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents have still not removed a single cent of excise or carbon

farmers, agricultural contractors, hauliers, tradespeople and businesses are facing renewed and significant increases in the cost of fuel and energy, adding further pressure to an already severe cost-of-living crisis; — petrol and diesel are essential rather than discretionary expenses for hundreds of thousands of people, particularly … control, rather than accepting permanently higher fuel prices as inevitable or as a "new normal". I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. Everyone knows there is a war and there are crises in different countries. When you have a crisis, you have to try to protect

with a total of €1.3 billion available. That is the reality. Since the beginning of this crisis, the Government has deferred the 1 May carbon tax increase on home heating fuels. It has not reduced it but has deferred it. It has reduced excise duty on diesel, petrol … this crisis, the Government was already acting to protect households with changes that were made in budget 2026, such as an extension until 2030 of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity bills, enhanced social protection payments and an increase in the fuel allowance

redirected to other areas. It should be allocated to, and spent on, fuel support. The fuel support scheme was flawed. It was only a sticking plaster on a major crisis. The Minister should have reduced the price of green diesel at the pump and that is what should … start of this crisis, which was brought on by the war in Iran. In the budget, the Government needs to provide €30 million to co-finance the EU fertiliser support scheme of €15 million. We should not take money from the fuel support scheme to co-finance fertiliser

very worst way of going about that. Irish households are suffering from a cost-of-living crisis that, at its heart, is driven by our country's dependence on fossil fuels. The carbon tax remains the only part of our entire taxation system which is designed to help … cost-of-living crisis and the Green Party will not support any legislation that has the effect of doing this. There are alternative ways in which we can help Irish households this winter and in the future. The Green Party has proposed a fossil fuel inflation fund

meet our climate targets. The Government may claim there is not a cost-of-living crisis anymore but families know differently. Every week, people are paying more for groceries, more for fuel, more for rent and more for energy. Household budgets are stretched to breaking point. Many people

fuel poverty; and highlights that, the Government remains cognisant of the pressures faced by households and businesses as a result of increased fuel prices owing to the conflict in the Middle East and will seek to address this as part of Budget 2027.". As Deputies will be aware … Since the beginning of the crisis, this Government has acted to reduce excise duty on diesel, petrol and marked gas oil and to ease pressure at the pumps. We moved to defer the 1 May carbon tax increase on home heating fuels

trying to get people off fossil fuels, but the reality is they have no option but to drive vehicles that run on those fuels. There are not enough incentives to drive EVs. In all the new housing estates, for example, the current policy … dichotomy - trying to help people out during the current crisis, because it is a global crisis. It is not either-or. If we are trying to wean people off fossil fuels, we are going about it the wrong way by increasing public transport prices and having ghost buses

harvest a field without diesel. A haulier cannot deliver goods around the country without fuel. Have the fishermen of the country been factored in when it comes to these increases and the crisis we have at the moment? They have told me that they are in a dire … homes with the only means available to them. Our farmers and agricultural contractors need action now. Some €85 million was allocated for agricultural fuel support. According to the figures in our motion, only around €26 million has been claimed. Leave the balance where it belongs. That money

circumstances continue. Incredibly, we are seven months into this crisis and the Government has done nothing to help these vulnerable households. Not a single cent has been lifted off excise duty or carbon tax. I appreciate that the fuel allowance is intended to support those most in need

lever to reduce energy costs. Following recent international instability and the impact on fuel markets, I called on the Government to implement mineral oil tax reductions similar to those introduced during the 2022 energy crisis. There exists a precedent here. I recently remarked that if Ministers were

with their parents, the parents are not allowed to apply for the fuel allowance. I have raised how this scenario of working adults living at home is happening more often because of the housing crisis and I would like the Minister to look at it. I wish

heaped on families already reeling from a cost-of-living crisis and it must be abolished. It unfairly penalises working people rather than the big corporate polluters and drives families and vulnerable people deeper into fuel and energy poverty. The major polluters must be made to pay, including

into a winter dominated by the cost of living crisis. Inflation is running at 3.7%. Petrol and diesel prices have increased day by day, with forecourts displaying prices of €2.14 per litre and upwards. Electricity, gas and other fuels are up 8.5% while rents increased 9.1% alone