Fuel costs and cost of living
Deputy McGuinness described hardship from fuel price rises and called for action on the cost of living. The Taoiseach replied that fuel excise cuts were substantial, accused Sinn Féin of opposing reductions, and said future budgets would focus strongly on cost-of-living supports.
I attended a protest in Dungarvan on Sunday, which was one of many that took place across the State. Hauliers, farmers, fishers and rural contractors, such as agri-contractors, were present, but people from other walks of life were also there protesting against the fuel cost increases and about the need for action. There were older people who were rationing heat; families who were making the invidious choice between putting fuel in the car, paying off some of their electricity bill arrears or feeding the adults in the family; disabled people who were struggling to get to appointments and keep their homes warm; and students and apprentices who told me they were borrowing money to put fuel in their cars to get to their training centres or colleges. What will the Government do for those people? The 10 cent announced yesterday is not anywhere near enough and the fact that home heating oil has been left out of the package in any meaningful way is nowhere near enough. We need action to look after all sections of society who are suffering and hurting because of the fuel cost crisis at the moment.
Comment on this
First of all, it is 32 cent on diesel that the Government has reduced prices by, and 27 cent on petrol. If the fuel package scheme is taken along with the green diesel reduction, you are up to 20-plus-----
Comment on this
The Deputy described it as 10 cent. It is 32 cent. If we can have factual analysis, that would be fine. If we did not do it, petrol prices would be 32 cent higher now. Sinn Féin has voted against reductions twice now. The key is that we have to-----
Comment on this
-----provide measures, as we did in the budget, to try to cushion, first of all, low-income groups. We felt we had to target prices there. The child support payments and so on were significantly increased, and we will in the forthcoming budget have a very strong focus on the cost of living. We will try to do it in an embedded way, not as just a one-off, but we will examine all options.
The Deputy mentioned third level colleges.