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been strangled by planning restrictions. Only last night I attended a cost-of-living meeting in Cloghan which took place after the fuel protests. We heard at that meeting of the case of a couple who had to abandon their hopes and dreams of building a home

Business owners are begging for supports. Many of them joined the recent fuel protests as a last resort, just to have their voices heard. This comes in the context of the Government's spring economic statement, which predicts a surplus of €9.2 billion for this year, up from

Hauliers and farmers who took part in the fuel protests are now facing summonses. In some cases their registration plates were recorded at the time of the protests and now they are being pursued. These are people who have invested heavily, in some cases hundreds of thousands

been a bad week for the Government; it is been a good week for people power. The fuel protests caused the resignation of a Minister of State and the sudden appearance of the young Turks of Fianna Fáil. Those protests led to the majority of the Government being

civilisation and their ongoing blockade of ships. We must recognise the United States is not acting as a friend any more and the fuel protests result from the US and Israel's war on Iran. The Government must press the EU to sanction Israel as it seeks

would say, is Trump, because Trump is the one who caused this whole mess and put us into this crisis. We have seen fuel protests throughout Europe and elsewhere. We have to listen to our population and give them the help they need as quickly as possible. That

fuel protests in Offaly, I was delighted to stand with my constituents, hard-working, decent people who have worked hard and are very frustrated. I met groups in Birr, Tullamore and Cloghan. Many self-employed people told me they just cannot keep going. Only today

stood with the people yesterday, and I voted no confidence in the Government. People protesting over fuel prices appreciate that the Irish Government is not responsible for the international crisis. People were protesting because when a crisis occurs, they expect their Government to have their backs. Twice … need the Government to stand up and stand with the people. Sinn Féin has outlined how we could achieve the cuts to fuel prices that we have advocated for. The question for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil

talking about the carbon tax and protests. Five years ago in November 2021, I brought a truck up here when truckers were protesting about fuel costs. That was five years ago yet a few months ago not only truckers but farmers, businesses and homeowners all protested … learning? Why is it targeting the most vulnerable people in this country? The Government made €1.7 billion extra this year in fossil fuel taxes. The vehicles in this country are mostly from between 2010 and 2018. People are lucky to keep the vehicles they have on the road

opposition to nuclear in the past. It turns out it was far cleaner than fossil fuels. There were never big protests about fossil fuels. We just accepted it, and now look

those surveyed leave for work before 7 a.m. and do not return until after 6.30 p.m. Because of the huge increases in fuel prices, they are paying a fortune for the privilege of doing so. That was the last census. With the huge increase in the number … need to see on the forecourts before this Government steps up? Nobody wants to see people forced to once again launch protests against fuel and energy prices, shutting the country down. I ask the Government to please not let us get to that point. We in Sinn Féin

provide. These are the people the Government left behind, not just in the budget of 2026, but also in the recent fuel supports, as announced. Those protests were not just about fuel costs. They were also about much more than that. They were about energy bills, renting, house

Government is not listening. It still has not taken the necessary steps to make fuel affordable at the pumps. It did nothing on home heating oil. The ordinary workers did not want to protest over the last couple of weeks. They did not want to take … situation, it made things worse. All they wanted was dialogue, but the Government threatened ordinary citizens with the Army. Yes, the protests were about fuel and the Government's mismanagement of the cost-of-living crisis, but the cost-of-living crisis is only

this level of control that he is trying to exert? The truth is that this Government tried to blacken the names of protesters. Then the Government looked to the media to try to support it and spread that propaganda. They were ordinary men and women. That was deeply … baked into legislation irrespective of the cost. That was the policy, and now it is starting to unravel. The Minister condemned the protesters for blocking fuel, but it was his Government that banned oil and gas exploration. It made us reliant on the international markets

Hauliers, farmers, fishers and rural contractors, such as agri-contractors, were present, but people from other walks of life were also there protesting against the fuel cost increases and about the need for action. There were older people who were rationing heat; families who were making the invidious

support the carbon tax reduction Deputy Ahern spoke about. The protests we have seen in recent days reflect something very real. At the centre of this anger is the rising cost of fuel. It is the cost of simply getting to work, getting children to school and keeping … cost of home heating oil. It means reducing energy costs and ensuring excessive profits are used to support households. Fuel may be the spark to these protests but this has exposed a deeper pressure on working families. People are looking for leadership, fairness and the chance to build

transport costs and remote working. The events of last week and the support from the public for the aims of the protests were not just about fuel prices but the Government has patently failed to recognise this. It has failed to recognise why so many people across … lifting of blockades to limit disruption to families, lives and businesses and ensure fuel reached those who needed it. We rejected the intimidatory tactics of some while absolutely respecting the right to peaceful protest of many. We watched all week in mounting dismay as Ministers of this Government

cairde agus do gach duine atá faoi chian ina diaidh. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann. After weeks of turmoil, protest and public anger over soaring fuel prices, what is most striking is that the Tánaiste's Government is still not listening. Right across the State, over … difference between heating their home or going without. Despite everything that has happened over the past number of weeks, the protests, the pressure and the clear message from workers and families right across this State, the Government still has not reduced excise on home heating

absolutely guarantee will be knocking on the Government's door. While there were thousands out protesting and while the changes that were brought about relate to high fuel users in particular sectors - and the downstream impact across all other industries in Ireland is so important - it must … remembered that the majority of those who were protesting are just ordinary people. There is literally nothing for them. Any small changes as regards fuel costs will be absorbed within weeks. What is the Government going to do for them? How will it ensure that they are protected

people being blocked from attending appointments. They did not necessarily agree or align themselves with some of the people who were leading the protests. However, they could understand why those people were doing it. They could understand why those people were doing it, why they had left their … facing with energy and food costs. Those costs are piling up. The reality is that the strikes and protests last week were not necessarily just about fuel. They were about a Government that has frittered away billions, that has not listened and that is leaving huge numbers

deniers like Trump's, but the same goes for the Irish Government. I will mention the dependence on fossil fuels and the food crisis, which the recent protests exemplified. The crisis caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, which the Government sat silently by about when

There is a social contract with the people, but it has been utterly shattered. We saw this recently with the protests about the cost of living and fuel. Ordinary people, hard-working mná agus fir na hÉireann, agus na buachaillí agus cailíní freisin, all came out because enough

deliver critical public services, housing and infrastructure, all while giving sermons about the importance of fiscal prudence. That is the backdrop to these protests. Life in this country has become totally unaffordable for an ever-increasing number of people. People working long hours every week, barely seeing their … draining. The cost of groceries, energy and housing have all skyrocketed with no end in sight. For many the fuel increases were a tipping point and these protests were a way to express that. I want to be clear that the Social Democrats do not agree with blockades

were people who had never been seen on a protest before and who did not want to be anywhere next or near a protest. We are talking about agricultural contractors, farmers and those involved in the bus and coach industry. As Joanna Byrne has said, some of them … hold the Government responsible for not listening, for not taking action and for the utter ineptitude of putting fuel on the fire in relation to the protests and what was going on during the week. Reference was made to those who were discommoded, and they were

listening, and there is no confidence out there. It should be very worrying for the Government if any of them were on the protests. We had supporters of Independents and some people who probably never voted before, but also a huge number of people who would have supported … realising just how angry people were. These are people who did not want to be out on protests. Let us look at the reality. It is about the cost of fuel. We all accept that this was started by Donald Trump and genocidal Israel, but it is about