Mr. Gerry Kenny:

I do not want to compound any preconceived ideas the Deputy has. The approach to carbon tax, especially in the past year or 18 months, has probably been a little different with regard to the Department of Finance's revenue-raising activities. In the past, the Department of Finance collected the money and the Government decided how it would be spent. There was no hypothecation and there was never any real suggestion that it should be reserved for specific activities. One has to remember that is the starting point. There has been significant discussion about the carbon tax and what mitigants can be put in place and the significant mitigants in place relating to the tax and fuel poverty. The Minister and his Government colleagues constantly discuss issues such as what one does if one raises carbon tax. That conversation goes on with regard to any tax, but it has taken place to a greater extent with regard to carbon tax. Perhaps we are not explaining this as well as we should. There has been a lot of work in the area in looking at what the impacts will be. The Minister said following the budget last year that he was not in a place to raise carbon tax because he was not happy that he understood all of the impacts. All of that work has been going on between us, the ESRI and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Perhaps we are not explaining ourselves well.