With fuel prices at an all-time high pushing hauliers, bus operators, farmers, taxi operators and ordinary fathers and mothers from rural Ireland close to the edge and forcing what we saw last week with the closure of the capital on two occasions due to the hauliers' and farmers' peaceful protests, with more planned, will the Taoiseach explain to those people as well as the young people of rural communities what they can do if they cannot afford to put fuel in their cars? If people cannot afford to fuel a lorry or the local bus, what is the Government's solution? Everyone is looking for a solution but they hear nothing from the Government.

Look at the public transport comparison between rural Ireland, including west Cork, and Bray in County Wicklow. The only public transport that leaves the Beara Peninsula, the Sheep's Head Peninsula and the Mizen Head Peninsula is one service by Bus Éireann at approximately 7 a.m. This goes through Schull, Ballydehob, Skibbereen and Clonakilty. Now look at the transport in Bray. The DART to Dublin leaves Bray station and returns from Dublin to Bray every five minutes up until 10 a.m. After 10 a.m. the frequency is every ten minutes. From 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. there are more than 25 trips to Dublin. That does not include buses from Bray to Dublin. Mizen Head, Sheep's Head and Beara have two services in total out of the peninsulas in the same time period, with nothing coming in. The same applies from Dunmanway to Clonakilty and to places such as Drinagh, Ballinspittle and Barryroe. There are little or no public transport services.

This is a small example of an unfair society and shows the massive gap between two counties in the same country. The climate action plan and the Government's carbon tax dream bubble hit fuel the most and severely hit transport in rural communities. Instead of putting the horse before the cart, it is the other way around. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party have hit the people of rural Ireland first, straight in the pocket to pay for pet projects in the capital. Common sense is very scarce up here. It was sadly lacking when the Government taxed fuel to put it out of the reach of the ordinary people who have no choice but to use a car to work, shop, collect their pensions, get basic food items and transport children, as the bus that leaves west Cork at 7 a.m. is the only means of public transport until 7 p.m. when it returns to Goleen. We hear proposals for a BusConnects service in rural communities, which is welcome, but it is said it will take up to five years. If this is the case, stop the carbon tax applying to rural Ireland immediately until there is a public transport service whereby people can jump on buses, the same as others in this country, every five or ten minutes, with buses coming to and going from places such as Dunmanway to Clonakilty and Ballineen to Kinsale. All these services should link with West Cork Connect, a private operator whose buses leave Bantry and Skibbereen several times a day for Cork city and back.

Will the Taoiseach promise to stop the carbon tax applying to rural Ireland immediately until there is a public transport service in place? If not, will he tell me and the people of rural Ireland what his plans are to cut the extraordinary fuel charges in this country, unlike those in any other country, at present?

First, I believe in a stronger public transport system throughout rural Ireland. The Minister for Transport and for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, published a substantive investment programme in rural transport recently which represents a significant advance on what we have had heretofore. It is very important we improve transport overall, including public transport, and give additional supports to existing transport operators in rural Ireland.

We will not have a DART, I suspect, from Bere Island or from Beara. Obviously, in areas of high population, in Wicklow, for example, there will be a greater frequency, but we need to increase frequency. I note Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan suggested to me this idea of one every hour in every village. That is a significant target, but that is the type of approach we want to move towards in respect of public transport in rural Ireland and our climate responsibilities.

The carbon tax is not the issue in terms of the current increases in fuel and energy. A global issue is fundamentally responsible for the significant increases in fuel and energy pricing. Electricity, eventually, will follow through. It is hoped that will abate in the first quarter of next year. That is what the European Central Bank and others are saying. I accept the jury is out on that. The Government has responded to this in the budget in terms of social protection and taxation measures to try to alleviate and make some contribution to help people cope with the increase in fuel. The carbon tax will deal with substantial investment in retrofitting which ultimately will give lower energy costs for homeowners across the board. It is far more sustainable into the future. However, it is not the main driver by any yardstick of the current increase in energy prices across Europe and the globe, of which Ireland is part.

We acknowledge there is a lot of pressure on people and Government is constantly keeping the situation under review in terms of what measures we could implement to try to reduce the electricity bills for householders in this country. That would be in addition to the measures that we took in the budget in terms of social protection and in terms of the taxation measures themselves. That is our position.

In the context of rural Ireland, the Deputy must acknowledge the variety of schemes we have initiated and substantially resourced in the past 12 months in terms of rural funding, capital projects, LEADER funding and CLÁR funding. Substantial schemes have been initiated across the board. The Government has demonstrated a real commitment to rural Ireland, and that is manifest in the level of resources we have allocated and which will continue. I can assure the Deputy of that.

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply, but he should not mention about LEADER funding because that is after being cut going forward. I would say the Taoiseach should stop thinking about that dream.

The public transport is the same, with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, kicking the can down the road. It might happen in the next few years, the Taoiseach is saying. A Deputy said this and a Deputy said that. There is no delivery. There is one public transport service leaving the Mizen Peninsula at 7 o'clock in the morning. Nothing is returning until 7 o'clock in the evening.

I asked the Taoiseach for solutions to this fuel crisis but he has no solutions. What do I say to the haulier operator who is paying €1,000 a month more on fuel this year than last year and cannot continue? What do I say to the local bus operators who are barely surviving? Look at West Cork Connect, an independent bus operator who goes to Cork several times a day from Skibbereen and Bantry, providing an incredible service, whom it was costing €110 on a round trip last year and is now costing €165. The Taoiseach does not seem to be able to grasp the crisis that is out there in rural Ireland as there is little or no public transport for us to avail of as the Government continues to take €57 of tax, one way or another, in every €100 spent on petrol. Will the Taoiseach immediately reverse that carbon tax increase in rural Ireland and let us know further measures, or any measures, the Government is taking to save many of those I spoke about earlier from going out of business?

I could go through all the various schemes we have announced: LEADER having gone from €44 million to €48 million, which will fund the existing programme, the new transitional programme, the community development programme - €5 million, and island infrastructure - €2 million plus. I hope we can do some good work down in Dursey Island, for example, which would be a very welcome initiative.

Good. The Taoiseach is on about another issue.

In terms of public transport, there will be a significant programme. It is not kicking the can down the road. The programme has been announced in terms of an enhanced and expanded rural transport network.

I am a great believer in public transport. My late father drover many a bus to different parts of west Cork and I am fully aware of the needs of Mizen, Glengarriff, Beara and all those areas that need a good regular bus service. They are growing and developing and we must put in alternative investments into these locations and towns in rural areas as well. We must do that right across the western seaboard. I know the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and her team at the Department through the rural regeneration and development fund is really expanding that.

There has been approximately €250 million allocated, covering 164 projects. That is a real and substantive allocation, which the Deputy should acknowledge from time to time. I know the Deputy must raise matters and I do not dispute that.

I asked the Taoiseach-----

There is a need sometimes for a bit of balance.

Is there any answer on the fuel question? He gave me no answer in those four minutes.

What was that? Is it the carbon tax?

It is the carbon tax and fuel taxes.

I gave an answer on fuel.

People are paying €57 in every €100 on tax.

I gave an answer on the carbon tax.

The people of rural Ireland cannot cope and the Taoiseach is walking away from it without a straight answer. He has no answer.

We are over the allotted time.

As I said to the Deputy and his colleague last week-----

He has no answer.

We are over the time.

Okay. I appreciate that.