I will tell the Minister what is not sustainable. It is not sustainable to tell families that are struggling so badly now that his only response is to refer them to the national development plan, budgetary parameters and whatever other political jargon he has got written down and has placed on the record of the Dáil. Does he understand how widespread this experience is? He keeps talking about targeted measures. Does he understand how widespread the experience is now for households that cannot make their bills? I have told him already, and he knows, that 300,000 households are already in arrears. I have told him that energy companies have hiked their prices upwards and upwards with no real substantive challenge from anyone in the Government. They can do what they want. I have told him that in the run-in to Christmas, families now - not next year but now, in November and December - cannot make it and the Government simply sings dumb. I find it astonishing that the Government is so out of touch. We need action now. We need the energy credits as an immediate response, but the Government needs to take on these energy companies and face them down.

I fully understand the issues and pressures families face. I reject the Deputy's assertion of jargon and waffle talk. We absolutely understand the pressure. That is why the social protection package was significant in this budget when it came to fuel allowance, the changes in rates we made and the changes the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, made when it came to the 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity. I will not take lectures from the Deputy on the economy. A magic money tree-----

I am talking to you about families.

-----does not work.

I am talking to you about families.

The Deputy's alternative budget amounted to nearly €16 billion. Her party's economic approach would wreck our economy, lose jobs-----

That is your answer. Wow.

-----and deplete our country of resources. Its false promises and its reckless approach to economic management would not provide any future for any family and would seriously exacerbate poverty for many people.

The Minister is not representing part of his party when it comes to taxes.

I will not take any lectures from Deputy McDonald on economic management.

The Minister should take the lecture from someone.

We will not take it from Fianna Fáil.

We make changes that are progressive, fair and targeted at the lowest income households and the social protection package reflects that.

That is lamentably out of touch.