David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Carroll could tell us that the €500 million, if that is what it is, comprises line items in any part of the Department's spend that it could in any way envisage were green-related, and say it is ring-fencing the entire €500 million. It is nonsense to come in here and say the Department is ring-fencing money when, in reality, it is not. Yes, investments are being made but the Department is increasing the carbon tax on households, many of which do not have the ability to make the changes they need and want to make. Rather than enabling them to make the changes, what the Department and the Government has done is increase the carbon tax this year and they say they will increase it for the next number of years. At the same time, they have a very unambitious plan to provide people with the alternatives that will allow them to make the behavioural changes they need to make.