Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government has recognised the pressures families are under. I heard Deputy Michael Healy-Rae talk about the need for politicians in here to be servants of the people. I serve the people. It is equally important to be honest with the people and make the case for what we can afford to do and the level of challenge and risk we could face in the future.

We brought forward €4 billion worth of additional measures from the start of October until the end of February. I remember the budgets in 2016 and 2017, which were of an overall value of €3.6 billion for the year. The temporary measures we have brought forward are equivalent to the entire budgets the Deputy voted on a number of years ago. Those measures have been brought forward in recognition of the huge challenges that we appreciate families are facing.

Deputy Healy-Rae made reference to the cost of fuel. He did not make reference to the fact that we cut excise on fuel, diesel and petrol. He made reference to gas and electricity, but did not refer to the fact that we cut VAT. He made reference to carbon tax, but did not refer to the fact that the National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, levy, has been reduced for the next number of months to offset the impact of higher carbon taxes. We appreciate and understand the impact higher energy pricing is having on families and businesses. That is why we have reduced the taxes that make the biggest impact on the price of energy. That is why we have TBESS in place, which will be open over the coming days. All of these measures are in place until next February at a cost, as I said, of more than €4 billion of the country's money.

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