Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Minister is obviously upset that Government-imposed sectoral prices have been contributing six times the rate of inflation to the overall prices in many sectors. The Government has been responsible for 41 additional taxes and charges since the last general election. No amount of rhetoric and palaver from the Minister today will disguise that fact.

How does he propose to stem the tide of Government-imposed prices to stop activity of the type happening in recent years, particularly in the energy sector? Government has imposed and sanctioned, through its regulatory policy, massive——

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