At the beginning of this month, with workers and families in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, the Government increased the price of petrol and diesel at the pumps. It plans to increase them again in August and again in October. The Tánaiste knows this will see Irish households facing among the highest petrol and diesel prices in Europe. I asked the Minister for Finance yesterday and he did not answer the question. Maybe the Tánaiste will make an attempt at it. There are 390 fuel stations in the Border counties. They tell me and the Government that their viability will be under serious threat if these price hikes go ahead. The price hikes, which the Government is adamant are going ahead, will leave the price of petrol over 20 cent cheaper in the North than in the South. That is a serious differential. These businesses tell us they will not be able to compete. There are jobs and livelihoods at risk. Will the Government see sense, support households, help these businesses and not go ahead with these petrol and diesel price hikes that will push petrol and diesel prices to these levels?

On one level, I admire the excellence of the Deputy as a polemicist and propagandist. This is about the restoration of excise duties and was well flagged. They were reduced during the crisis. The Government staggered the restoration but Sinn Féin in its alternative budget proposed the excise reduction be restored in one go on 1 April 2024, unlike the Government's two-step restoration.

No, we said it should be kept under review.

Your budget said the excise reduction should be restored in one go.

We said it should be kept under review.

Then you mentioned October. I presume you are referring to the carbon tax.

Which is excise duty.

It is sleight of hand by you. In your budget you factor the carbon tax revenue into your calculations.

No, we do not.

You are playing Tadhg an dá thaobh all the time, are you not? Are you for the carbon tax or against it?

We are against it. Answer the question.

Why do you put it into your budget then?

You are doing what the Minister for Finance did yesterday. You are refusing to answer the question of the 390 businesses.

You are a Tadhg an dá thaobh. You are flip-flopping. You are U-turning.

You are refusing to answer the question.

Deputy Doherty, will you stop disregarding the Chair and the rules of the House. If you want a conversation with the Tánaiste, have it outside and not in here.

The Tánaiste should be answering the questions put to him.

I asked-----

I do not care what you asked.

With respect, I asked the same question yesterday and did not get an answer-----

Resume your seat, Sir.

-----and the Tánaiste will not answer the same question today. This is supposed to be questions.

Resume your seat. Now, Deputy Bacik, please.

It sounds like conversations on promised legislation rather than questions.

Definitely not answers.