Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister questioned my honesty numerous times and put himself on a pedestal in terms of the honest politician and me, the dishonest politician. There is nothing trite about me, a representative, having been elected by the people of Donegal with a substantial mandate, raising the issue of people in my constituency who are facing poverty and increased poverty as a result of the measure the Minister is advocating. He says that he understands how they are suffering, but he will push ahead with the measure and push up the cost of keeping their homes warm.

I do not know but maybe the Minister was outside the country in talking about the experts. His expert who was appointed to the advisory group was on national radio saying that this carbon tax increase in three weeks' time should not go ahead.

This was because there is a recognition that the price is going through the roof. Carbon taxes and behavioural taxes have a role to play in changing behaviours when there are other options available to people. We have seen an increase in the cost of filling a tank of oil, which two thirds of households in the west and the north west, and one third of households in the State, use as the primary source of heating their homes. The price increase of filling a tank of oil has nearly doubled since the start of the year. If there was going to be a behavioural change it would be that. The point is that the Minister lumping on another €20 every time one fills a tank is just creating more misery. It is not going to make people run out and move to an air-to-water system in the morning or move to underground heating. Most of these families do not have that type of resource.

I will make the point again that the Government's own expert on climate advice is saying that this is not the time to increase carbon tax on heating a home. The Minister's own backbenchers have a motion down before the parliamentary party tonight calling for the Minister to see sense. At least there is some hope in Fine Gael that not all of them are out of touch, but by God, if the Minister is not out of touch, he is telling me that he understands what is happening out there and he is deciding to go ahead with €20 increase in home heating oil in three weeks' time, despite the fact that Social Justice Ireland has stated that people are at breaking point. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, one-parent family organisations and people on the front line are telling us this time and again. Comments are coming into my constituency office, and I am sure to the Minister's constituency office, that people are not putting on the heating because they simply cannot afford it. Where does the Minister believe that people are going to get the extra €20 in three weeks' time? It is easy for the Minister. It is easy for people who have been elected to the Oireachtas because we are well paid. It is easy for Ministers who are sitting round the table who are well paid and well looked after with all of their Garda drivers and all of the rest to say "Look this is important and they will get through it somehow". A lot of people will not get through it. For a lot of people, this is the breaking point. The Government's role here is to protect people from the worst edges. I am not suggesting that the Minister can do everything but he can do a lot more. The very least that the Minister should do is do no more harm. Yet, this is what he plans to do in three weeks' time by increasing the cost of home heating oil, by increasing the cost of gas, and by increasing the costs on these families and workers in trying to keep their homes safe and trying to keep their homes warm.