Mr. Seamus Boland:

To finish off the point about engagement, the engagement programme we had involved volunteers known to the person being available to help and ease people through the change that is needed because it is change that is the main demand and it involves higher levels of anxiety so you are asking a great deal. What you are really looking for is for them to be able to trust the advice they are getting in the local community. That was the strength of our community engagement scheme.

Deputy Collins spoke about the carbon tax. Irish Rural Link is on record as understanding why the carbon tax exists but not understanding why rural areas do not get the benefits of it. A tax is supposed to be an either-or. In other words, I can buy my plastic bag in the shop and pay the tax - that is the choice I make - or I can decide not to but in rural Ireland, you do not have a choice. When the increase in tax happens, you pay it because you have to get your children to school or light your home if it is heating oil. It does not matter. You have to pay the tax. We are still not convinced that building around that tax or "ring-fencing it" as the phrase goes has been adequate and we do not really see where the benefits of ring-fencing that tax have yet occurred. We would at least ask for that. We have been very critical of a tax that simply puts more pressure on lower-income households.