Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I asked for clarity in regard to that. Will the Minister clarify that the carbon tax is not hypothecated in law, that there is not a magic pool of money where carbon tax goes into one section, that it goes into the Central Fund and that there is a policy decision to spend that resource on mitigation measures, which not all happen? If the banking levy, which is reduced as a result of the Minister's decision in the Finance Act last year, was at the same level as last year, it could pay for the lost carbon tax of, for example, not increasing home heating oil costs on people who are really struggling. Home heating oil has gone up €1,600 per fill and the Minister will increase it by €20. If one were to look for a dictionary example of a government out of touch, this would be a good example. This would be an example of a society in crisis, trying to heat their homes, keep their family safe, and the Government's response is to push up the cost of home heating oil further in three weeks' time. The argument that if we do not do this, it will take away from retrofitting or other measures, is not actually the case because it is not hypothecated in law. Therefore, other resources from tax resources, such as the banking levy, which should be restored to the level it was at last year, could be used to fill that gap. That is the first issue.

In terms of the mitigation measures the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, are talking about, the Taoiseach gave a commitment that no person would be worse off as a result of the carbon tax increases. Will the Minister give the committee that same commitment, that every person will be no worse off as a result of the increase he plans to make to home heating oil and gas in the next three weeks as a result of the increase in carbon tax?