As the Tánaiste has already heard in the House many times this morning, household energy bills have gone through the roof. Electricity and fuel costs have been hyped up with massive Government taxes, which take people's household bills beyond reach. Farm contractors, hauliers and ordinary mothers and fathers are not able to keep up with the cost of fuel. An even bigger concern is the huge amount of businesses in west Cork which contact me on a daily basis from Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Bantry and its surrounds. They are telling me they will have to close their businesses this September or October if the Government does not step in. Businesses such as restaurants, fast food outlets, cafes and pubs tell me their electric bills have gone from €2,000 or €3,000 every two months to €5,000 or €6,000 every two months. They cannot and will not survive the green agenda's taxes on fuel and energy to pay for pet projects to keep the Green Party aboard the sinking ship. What will the Tánaiste tell those businesses in west Cork which are facing closure in the months ahead? These are businesses, I may add, which are decades delivering jobs and services in their rural communities. What answers does the Tánaiste have for the struggling businesses which simply cannot pay their electricity bills to keep the lights on?

I say to these businesses that we understand the pressures they are under. This is why we reduced excise and took 20 cent off petrol and 15 cent off diesel, but unfortunately we do not control those prices as they are internationally determined. This is why we put in place the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector, which is particularly important given the tourism hot spot that Cork south west is. That will run into next year. It is also why we reduced the VAT on electricity and gas to 9%, which is the lowest it has ever been, in order to help people with those particular bills. Just today, with the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, I announced €55 million in funding for businesses to help them to invest in smart meters, in heat pumps and in green energy and renewable energy to help them reduce those costs in the long term.