Tá géarchéim costas maireachtála ar fud na tíre. Tá billí fuinnimh ag dul in airde agus ag cur fíor-bhrú ar oibrithe agus ar theaghlaigh ar fud an Stáit. Aréir, vótáil an Rialtas in éadan moladh de chuid Shinn Féin a thabharfadh faoiseamh dáiríre do theaghlaigh trí chostas ola teasa baile a laghdú agus cosc a chur ar an gcáin charbóin a mhéadú ón tseachtain seo chugainn. Mar pháirt den mholadh a chuir muid chun tosaigh, d’iarr muid ar an Rialtas deireadh a chur leis an gcosc atá molta ag an Aire é féin ar dhíol móna ón 1 Meán Fómhair. In ainneoin an tabhairt amach ó Theachtaí Fhianna Fáil agus Fine Gael, vótáil siad leis an Aire agus lena pháirtí aréir. Tá siad sásta dul ar an raidió agus labhairt leis na nuachtáin áitiúla ach nuair a thagann sé go dtí an pointe agus go dtí an vóta, titeann siad ar chúl polasaithe an Aire agus polasaithe an Chomhaontais Ghlas le cosc a chur ar cheannach móna.

There is a real cost-of-living crisis all across the country, as energy bills have skyrocketed. It is putting real pressure on workers and families throughout this State. Last night, the Government rejected a Sinn Féin motion that would have given real relief to households. It would have reduced the cost of home heating oil and prevented the Government from increasing it by imposing additional carbon taxes, as it plans to do on Sunday. We also sought to prevent the Government’s proposed ban on selling turf from 1 September. Despite the huffing and puffing from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Ministers and backbenchers, they dutifully rolled in behind the Minister and his party last night to prevent sense prevailing. I must say there is a notable absence of those huffing and puffing Deputies in the Chamber this morning. They are happy to go on local radio and give quotes to local newspapers but when push comes to shove they fall into line with the Green Party and its out-of-touch proposals in respect of home heating oil and carbon tax. It is political cowardice of the highest order.

Turf has been one of the only forms of heating not to see prices spiral in recent months, yet the Government still plans to punish individuals and communities who rely on turf from September. Instead of introducing measures to support communities in transitioning away from this form of heating in a way that is fair and sustainable, the Minister plans a ban. Ill thought-out policies like this proposal damage environmental protection because they alienate communities. We know that the days of fossil fuels are coming to an end. All of us in this House recognise the need for climate action. However, the way the Government is doing it is causing deep anger, upset and resentment in communities right across the State.

The Minister should not naively believe that a ban on turf is a solution because it is not. Across the State, 4% of households rely on burning turf as the main energy source to heat their homes. That figure rises to 9% in rural communities and in some counties it is over 30%. These communities need to be supported instead of facing the punishment the Minister is dishing out when there is no realistic alternative for them to heat their homes and keep their families warm and safe. Where is the just transition in telling these households who rely on burning turf as the main source of heating their homes that it is to be banned from September of this year? After weeks of chaos, confusion and contradiction, what is the Minister's position on the turf ban? Does he now accept that the turf ban idea was daft and needs to be ditched?

My view is we must stop the 1,300 deaths that occur every year. From the European Environmental Agency's assessment, that is the level of excess mortality because of the severe problem that we have with air pollution.

That is a red herring.

Please.

Deputy McGrath thinks it is a red herring.

Yes.

It is not a red herring for the 1,300 families who lose a loved one.

There are 1.3 million people on waiting lists.

We know from the past that we can tackle this. When we introduced the ban on smoky coal in Dublin, we saved about 350 lives a year. We need to do that all over the country. This is not coming from us. The Asthma Society of Ireland makes it clear that the burning of solid smoky fuels is central to the problems that many of our children have with asthma. Are we to do nothing about asthma? Are we to ignore the heart surgeons, cardiologists and respiratory disease experts across the country who say this has to be tackled? It would be so easy to walk away and say we will not do that because it is difficult but what number of deaths should we tolerate? What should we do in ignoring that reality across the country? I do not believe we should ignore it and we will not do so. This Government will act and will deliver practical measures that are not there to punish anyone. They are part of a way of managing this so that we can protect people from fuel poverty and protect lives at the same time. I am very confident we can and will do that.

Deputy Doherty asked about the vote last night. There was another vote last night that I think was fundamental and important. What happened last night is that Sinn Féin changed its policy. To date, it has said it would not accept the increase in the carbon tax but it would retain the revenue that is already coming from it. Last night, Sinn Féin voted with Deputy Mattie McGrath and his colleagues in saying it wants to scrap it altogether.

We voted against the Government amendment.

Please. Allow the Minister to speak without interruption.

Sinn Féin voted with the rural Deputies and voted-----

We voted against the amendment.

Does Sinn Féin disagree with the rural Deputies?

Of course. Yes, we do.

Sinn Féin will, therefore, retain the carbon tax.

We are not going to increase it. It is clear.

Sinn Féin supports retaining the carbon tax we have because it recognises that what this Government is doing is correct and right-----

-----in using the revenues from that-----

The Deputy just said Sinn Féin would retain the carbon tax.

We will not increase it.

Sinn Féin was not saying that in public and on radios across the country yesterday.

We have.

People should know that Sinn Féin is standing up for the carbon tax.

On heating oil too.

And on heating oil. That is Sinn Féin's position. It is in favour of the carbon tax because it recognises, I presume, as we do, that the revenue it brings is the best way of protecting our people from fuel poverty.

It is not going back to it.

Please.

I do not think Deputy Mattie McGrath speaks for Sinn Féin.

Thank God I do not. I speak for myself.

Answer the question about turf.

The question is that I, like Sinn Féin, believe we should have a carbon tax because it helps us to raise the revenue to make the switch.

There is no carbon tax on turf. Answer the question about turf.

We need to tackle smoky fuels. The only way we can tackle smoky fuels - the coal, wet wood, peat and other products - that are causing these deaths is to have a regulatory system, as recommended by the Attorney General, in which we tackle all the smoky fuels. In doing that, we recognise it is not an outright ban because there are issues and a tradition in our country where people have had access to their own bog, cutting turf and sharing with neighbours. Of course, we will provide for that but what we will do is start saving those 1,300 lives. We will not walk away, as two previous Governments and a series of Ministers have done. We will do what needs to be done, while maintaining and helping our people through fuel poverty but not ignoring the health issue or the loss of life. That would be reckless and disregard our duty.