Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the witnesses for attending. I will make a point to Mr. Flynn. He stated that it was the UK and Norway we were reliant on for fuel, but one assumes that the UK is not drilling for oil. I am concerned that, at some point, we will lose the majority of our gas supplies. At that stage, a barrel of oil will increase to well in excess of $200 and all of this talk will be moot. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen next month or it might not happen at all but we can plan for that eventuality.

We cannot deal with the price of the commodity but we can deal with taxes. The witnesses are coming from sectors where the carbon tax is taxing them into oblivion. They have no alternatives. They are primarily diesel, so that is the end of the story. Mr. Flynn mentioned compressed natural gas, CNG. It does not matter whether an operator is using a gas or diesel engine - the standard is what counts. At Euro 6, that is the cleanest standard there is. The witnesses' members should be exempted from carbon tax. On 1 May, their carbon tax will increase. My proposal to the Taoiseach last week was that all taxes and excises be removed as a temporary emergency measure because there is too much complication. We do not have time to deal with the fuel rebate.