Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will make a brief response to the points aimed at me. I confirmed earlier today at a public event where I launched the report of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare that I will not be bringing to the Government proposals in relation to inheritance. I have made that clear. I respect and recognise the work that the commission has done. It is a 500-page report containing over 100 recommendations and plenty of things with which I am confident Deputy Durkan would agree, but it needs proper time to evaluate and discuss it. I am well aware of the equity issues and the matters the Deputy referred to. I want to give him a clear indication in relation to that.

The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, and I are keenly aware of the need to be able to fund what we are doing beyond a month or two and into the years to come. That is a big factor in our thinking regarding what we do in the time ahead, while also recognising there are many people who need help at the moment. The note of optimism I would strike concerns where we were during Covid and the range and breadth of the support programmes we had in place. So many times it looked unlikely that we would ever not have an EWSS, PUP or Covid restrictions support scheme. They are all gone now because we were able to make the right decision on the size of the programmes when they were needed and then get out of them at the right time, which we could stand over. I believe we will get to the same point with our measures but it is a difficult journey for people, given how hard it is at the moment. That is why we want to help.

The Government is very aware of the question of supply. In the coming days, the Government statement on energy security will be published for public consultation and feedback. We are taking steps in the interim to fortify ourselves against the challenges. That is why it is excellent news that the European Commission has confirmed that gas storage facilities for the EU as a whole are above 80%, where they would be normally. That is an exceptional achievement by the European Union and its member states in the context of the threat made against us earlier in the year.