Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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The Minister of State answered my next question, which was on the energy efficiency national fund and what measures will be put in place to support households with rising energy prices. We need to keep in mind that rising energy prices are a result of oil price rises across the planet and geopolitical reasons. Carbon tax is not causing the increases about which I hear many people talking. A small increase is from carbon tax, but the main increase we see in diesel and petrol is due to oil prices.

I will be parochial and ask about County Wicklow. The Greystones coastguard building project has been going on for some time. The €6 million allocated to that project and the Westport project is to be reallocated elsewhere. Does the Minister of State know what is delaying the project, for which funding was in place? She can respond to me later if she does not have the answer to hand. However, I am keen to get some sort of guarantee that this money, which has been reallocated this year, will still be available for the Greystones coastguard building next year when the delays, whatever they are, have been overcome. It has been going on for some time and needs to be done.