Met Éireann has issued a status yellow weather warning for ten counties, with temperatures expected to fall to -3°C in parts of the country. People are now facing freezing conditions with some of the highest heating bills in Europe. The Government had a clear opportunity in the budget to target energy credits to those who need them the most. Instead, it decided to scrap them outright leaving vulnerable households afraid to turn the heating on. It is as if the cost-of-living crisis was forgotten about and ended by Fine Gael as soon as the election was over. The budget was a disaster for those already struggling to get by but the Tánaiste should not take my word for it. Social Justice Ireland, the ESRI and the Parliamentary Budget Office have all concluded that the budget is pushing more people into poverty. Will the Government reverse its decision to push more people into poverty? Will it bring in a targeted energy credit to help those who need it most?

I make the point that the budget, by any objective standard, was a progressive budget. It was a progressive budget that helped those with the least the most. That is how progressive budgeting works. It is there in the ESRI SWITCH model and the likes as well.

It shows the worst-off are worse-----

I have outlined very clearly what the Government is doing to help those most in need. I appreciate the fact the Social Democrats have brought forward a proposal around targeted energy supports. One crowd here wants a universal support, another does not want any supports and the Social Democrats wants targeted supports. If this is a united left, I would not like to see them divided.

Will the Tánaiste answer my question about poverty?

I answered it at great length from the Deputy's coalition colleagues.