People are being hammered by the rising cost of fuel. The price of petrol and diesel has increased sharply in the last while. In some forecourts across the country this morning - I do not know if the Minister has seen it - people are being asked to pay €2.20 for a litre of diesel. People have seen these prices go up day after day. They also know that when these prices go up, the Government rakes it in with regard to additional VAT it charges on these high prices. It is not just petrol and diesel; home heating oil has skyrocketed. The price of 1,000 litres of home heating oil has gone up hundreds of euro in the last two weeks alone and households cannot take any more of this. I am asking the Minister serious questions here because people need action right now. They do not need commentary; they want to know what is going to happen.

Is the Government willing to further cut excise on petrol and diesel? That is exactly what needs to be done to help families and workers at this time. Will the Minister implement the legislation I am bringing before the House today, which removes carbon tax completely from home heating oil, a fuel that people need to keep their homes warm this winter? The Government has not removed a single cent of excise from it up until now.

The Deputy is right; people need action, not words. That is exactly why, at this time and at this moment in the year, €1.4 billion has already been provided to people to try to assist with what is a very challenging time - I fully agree with the Deputy - much of which has been caused by the conflict in the Middle East, where we need to focus our efforts as well. While we are a small country, we still have a voice and we need to use it to ensure every effort is made to end the conflict because that is the first and quickest way in which we can see a reduction. However, we have expanded the fuel allowance, and the tax reductions on energy and fuel have been extended to October, which the Deputy voted against in the Chamber, so that we give people that bit of a break and make sure there is certainty in the time ahead.

On top of that €1.4 billion being provided in supports and reductions in tax, we have a budget coming up. On both a permanent and temporary basis, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, have all said they want to do something on home heating oil and will do something in the budget to assist people in both the short and long term. The Deputy can be assured of that.