There are families in east Galway right now who are really worried because they cannot afford the cost of putting a fill of oil in the tank this winter. The reality is that the Government reduced the price on diesel and petrol but it is fair to say that it has not done anything yet to help families with the cost of home heating oil.

In this budget there needs to be a serious measure put in place to support the families that I represent in Galway to get through this winter because the price has completely ballooned. I ask that serious consideration be given to that and that supports be put in place. Also, there are families who have paid huge sums of money in the past month or so to fill a tank. Consideration needs to be given to backdating any payment or any support that goes in place for home heating oil because families cannot decide when the tank becomes empty and they have to fill it.

I thank Deputy Dolan for raising the issue. He is right on the broader issue. When you look at the cost of energy, it has risen across the board, of that there is no doubt. However, when you look at the cost to fill a home heating oil tank, it has risen in quite an alarming manner. Roughly speaking, it was €950 to fill the tank last winter. It is anywhere between €1,500, €1,600, €1,700 and rising to fill the tank this winter. This is an extraordinary rise for families.

We are working through this as a Government together. The details will be published on budget day but the Tax Strategy Group paper does identify that we can treat carbon differently on different products. Regarding kerosene, there may be something we can do in that space. What we cannot do is do anything that risks our derogation in relation to the emissions trading system, ETS, because we do not want to end up paying billions more to Europe as a consequence of this too. There obviously will be some people who will be disproportionately more at risk of fuel poverty, and the fuel allowance system is part of that. We need to look at all of this in the round but we will endeavour to respond.