I too want to raise the issue of the fuel income support scheme with the Tánaiste this afternoon, specifically the issues of plant hire operators and quarrymen who were excluded from the initial scheme earlier this year. At that time, many people in leadership indicated that these sectors would be included in the original scheme. Obviously, that did not transpire.

These operators have the same costs. They face the same increases in the price of green diesel that people in the agricultural sector have, and many of them are small one- or two-machine-operated businesses. With the upcoming budget, and particularly since the initial scheme was not fully drawn down, will the Government consider them for inclusion in any updated scheme?

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this issue in relation to how we support plant hire operators, quarry workers and others in that kind of construction sector space with fuel costs. We have been clear as a Government that we want to do this. There is work going on across a few Departments to work out the best modality, but both I and the Taoiseach have been clear that we want to get this done and have a proposal to the Government shortly. We are discussing it, obviously, in the context, as the Deputy says, of the budget next week too, and we will keep him updated.

The Minister, Deputy Chambers, and I met the Construction Industry Federation recently and I know this is an issue of concern.

It is also very important for the vital work these sectors are carrying out in construction across our country that we need to keep going, so I hope we can bring this matter to a resolution quickly.