Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

In the midst of the business pertaining to the Lisbon treaty, to which I shall return later, I wish to bring again to the notice of the Taoiseach an issue of real concern for hundreds of thousands of people, namely, the cost of fuel prices. Fishermen, commuters, small business, farmers and everyone else now are being screwed by the rise in fuel prices for diesel and petrol. This is a real burden on everyone. The cost of filling an average car is approximately €100, which is making life extremely difficult for a great number of people. Members have seen evidence of the frustration felt by fishermen, hauliers, commuters on a daily basis, small businesses, farmers and so on. Does the Taoiseach accept the Government is taking a real windfall from price increases, as it takes one cent for every increase of five cents? What relief measures does the Government propose to implement to assist in the burden that commuters, small businesses, hauliers, fisherman, farmers and everyone else in the community now face?

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