Russia sanctions and energy costs
The Deputy warned sanctions on Russia could worsen energy and living costs. The Taoiseach condemned Russian aggression, accepted sanctions would have repercussions, and said the crisis was already driving oil and gas prices higher.
The world is looking on with increasing anxiety at the behaviour of Russia, the mounting prospect of war in Ukraine and the potential for horrific loss of life. The clear breach of international law by Russia cannot stand and sanctions are appropriate and absolutely necessary. There is a serious concern that these sanctions will impact directly on the soaring cost of living here at home. In fact, yesterday the Taoiseach said that in his view, sanctions will result in even further increases in the cost of energy at a time when people are to the pin of their collar paying huge gas, electricity and home heating oil bills. The Taoiseach also stated that there will be not further intervention by Government to tackle the cost of living crisis until the budget and that it will drive on with its carbon tax hike. That is not good enough. The Government must act to protect families and workers from the increased, and increasing, cost of energy. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm what he proposes to do about the further hike in energy prices that he has predicted.
Comment on this
It is not enough to say that there is growing anxiety about the aggressive position of Russia. I think we should all be clear in this House that we all condemn the Russian aggression. We should use that language clearly and without equivocation. Yes, there will be repercussions from sanctions. That is the inescapable consequence of Russia's behaviour. We do not want to take economic sanctions. Nobody does. Those sanctions will have an impact. The crisis is having an impact on oil and gas prices and that will continue to be the case. That is the inevitable consequence of what is going on now. Governments all over the world will not have answers to everything here, because we are in a situation that we should never be in. We should not be in this situation. The Government has brought in €1.5 billion of supports through tax, social protection and other measures, such as a reduction in the cost of public transport, that will help people to deal with what is an escalating cost of living situation which we acknowledge.