Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, for bringing forward this motion. Duty increases on petrol and diesel are a huge concern for my constituents in north County Dublin. We have debated the lack of a reliable bus service in this House many times. The Government has not provided people with a reliable bus service. They have no choice but to be in their car and they are getting creased yet again by this Government, not once or twice but three times this year. These increases in the face of a cost-of-living crisis for ordinary people and a cost-of-doing-business crisis for small businesses could not come at a worse time. For businesspeople, particularly the self-employed and sole traders, these increases will have a massive impact. Let us not forget that these increased fuel prices are coming on the back of an increase in the cost of road tolls. Ordinary workers and small businesses just cannot catch a break from this Government whatever way they turn. These price increases will impact on businesspeople and rural low-income households the hardest. The planned increases should be scrapped. I think the Minister knows that.

I also want to put on the record the frustration of many petrol station owners at the lack of a regulatory impact assessment or even a basic engagement with the sector before regulations were put in place for the European alternative fuels infrastructure directive. They feel they have been completely abandoned. No one is listening or talking to them. It is just another expense that they have to deal with.

Since it was announced, the increased cost of business scheme has been beset by delays, confusion and a fair degree of incompetence. The announcement, establishment and roll-out of the scheme picked up where the failed temporary business energy support scheme, TBESS, left off. The nature of the qualifying criteria and all associated with it has been opaque, which is why there has been a low take-up. Deputy Doherty alluded to a Sinn Féin survey. One SME responded to the survey stating it was a haulage company that transported fuel to various terminals and petrol stations throughout Ireland. Work, it stated, has reduced dramatically because of the price of fuel. It then states that if it does not change, it will close down the business.

The Minister should be under no illusions. What he does in here has very real consequences for business owners and their workers. Most workers and businesses are struggling just to get by. They do not need these price hikes. It is just one thing after another. That is what they tell me. They say the Government is not listening. It has an opportunity to listen now.

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