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Iranians 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

welcome the opportunity to speak on the measures announced by the Government to address the ongoing fuel and energy cost crisis, which continues to place real and sustained pressure on households, families and businesses right across the country. I cannot but comment on the pure hypocrisy of Sinn

four weeks into a crisis that has seen fuel prices skyrocket and only now has the Government brought forward limited measures to respond. It has taken relentless pressure from Sinn Féin and massive public anger to force

over again. Honestly, workers and families just cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to this cost-of-living crisis. We have seen fuel prices surge over the past two weeks and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have sat on their hands and twiddled their fingers

Fuel poverty is at crisis levels in the State. I see it first-hand in my own constituency in Fingal East, particularly among the elder generations who are having to choose between heating and eating. I met a woman in her 70s from Malahide the other

people, especially for those who do not have additional funds or have already been hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis. The cost of fuel and food is substantially increasing, as is basically the cost of living in every way. The cost of material, if someone needs

free public services, real rent controls, increases in social welfare payments and universal measures on the cost-of-living crisis, including breaking with the reliance on fossil fuels which is what has gotten us into this crisis in the first place. The most immediate thing that

developers came knocking, there was never a shortage. All of this comes on top of a cost-of-living crisis that was crushing people even before fuel prices spiked. A total of 320,000 people and rising cannot pay their electricity bills. Arrears are growing every month. People … four-week extension to the fuel allowance, a measure that the Government's figures show cannot keep pace with rising costs. Families needed a government of action, but they got a do-nothing government that hoped the crisis would simply blow over. The 2 cent cut on home

going on anyway in people's homes. They could not pay their previous bills and now we are in a crisis situation. I meet many constituents and some of them have told me – I presume it is the same in the Tánaiste’s constituency – that they … farmers, carers and haulage operators who keep the shelves stocked. Many can no longer absorb these hikes. For them, the weekly fuel bill has become a crisis. The Irish Petrol Retailers Association has been crystal clear in its asks: reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel; pause carbon

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

Government has never invested adequately in universal public services, building decent homes, developing public infrastructure, tackling the climate crisis and tackling our over-reliance on fossil fuels. People in Ireland have been living with the consequences. It is no wonder the cost of car ownership has become … breather. A Government with the resources to spend billions on subsidising fossil fuels essentially should be able to afford to address the systemic problems that are driving inequality and exacerbating the climate crisis. The Government has money aplenty but no vision. The real problem with Fianna Fáil

frustrated that some of the renewable projects are still with An Coimisiún Pleanála, for example. We have an energy crisis. Our dependency on fossil fuels creates unreliability in energy supply that is really problematic. Anything we can do to make sure that we optimise the energy generated

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

tolerate in the last few years. This is even more relevant in the current climate and in the current energy crisis, with the pressure on fuels. It is an opportunity, at one level, to get people out of cars and onto public transport. If we are serious about

Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, this crisis has only strengthened my resolve to drastically improve Ireland's energy resilience by building our domestic renewables. This reduces our dependence as a country on imported fossil fuels, thereby reducing our exposure to the inevitable fluctuations and volatility … forward are affordable and sustainable but that we also retain the ability to respond further should this crisis accelerate and should the issue of price inflation in relation to fuel and electricity worse. It has the potential to increase more later on this year as many

cost-of-living crisis is really hurting families at the moment. We have not had a proper debate about the cost-of-living crisis since the general election and the start of this Dáil. It is getting worse at the moment. People will have seen that the cost … some of that inflation. Last year the Government took in €4.1 billion in fuel taxes, the highest fuel tax take ever in the jaws of a cost-of-living crisis, which is incredible. Normally the instinct would be to reduce the fuel taxes when people are hurting

year. A profit of €706 million made by a semi-State body during a cost-of-living crisis is absolutely wrong. We then come to the level of taxation on fuel this Government is implementing. It is quite incredible. A reply to an Aontú parliamentary question showed that … Government took in €4.1 billion of taxes on fuel last year, which is the highest total ever, in the jaws of a cost-of-living crisis. Last year, the Government took in €1 billion in carbon taxes, the most it has ever taken, in the jaws

work and, vitally, access to fuel was disrupted, and continues to be. The origins of the energy price crisis lies in our country's over-reliance on fossil fuels. The war in Iran has shown for the second time in four years how our economy is totally

particular promise to the families. The reason that the country is coming to standstill tomorrow is the cost-of-living crisis. Housing, electricity, gas and other fuels have increased in cost by 9.5% over the last 12 months. The Government is, in general, in large part responsible

October until 2030. There were some €4.1 billion in taxes last year. In the jaws of a cost-of-living crisis, the Government made more in fuel taxes than ever before. That is absolutely wrong. The cost of diesel has increased by 60% in the past five years

budget to extend the energy credits introduced in 2022 at a time when the cost-of-living crisis was at its worst with fuel and food costs, with electricity companies announcing price hikes to customer bills and with more than 300,000 people - and growing - already in arrears

since Trump and Netanyahu’s bloody misadventure in the Middle East began. Never ones to waste a crisis, whether at the garage forecourt or in our home heating tanks, fuel providers here saw an opportunity for profit and they went for it. Prices changed

purchase to produce the native grains and legumes that we require. We know we have the cost-of-living crisis and the issues around the cost of fuel. They are all linked. There is then the point of defending ourselves and biosecurity and the food that

used the crisis to increase prices. We have all seen reports of jumps in home heating and fuel over the weekend. Prices seemed to increase within hours of the crisis breaking out. This is completely unacceptable, and I call on the Minister to take action and seriously engage

problems of the Government is that it is one of the key drivers of the cost-of-living crisis. Last year, the Government took in €4.1 billion in fuel taxes. This was highest ever in the history of this State in the jaws of a cost-of-living