Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

The price of milk and beef is increasing but farmers are in huge debt because they lost fortunes over the past few years. The Government should help them. The Minister has a duty to consider the hardship he is imposing on people. I spoke to an oil supplier in recent weeks who said he cannot collect money because customers do not have it. However, the Minister then decides to add another tax which has made the bills bigger and harder to pay. He is not living in the real world. I reiterate my invitation to him to visit my constituency at his earliest convenience to listen to what people are saying in Bulmers of Clonmel and Tipperary co-operatives and to agricultural contractors who have almost gone to the wall because of the huge imposition that the carbon tax is on their business.

The Minister is not jumping to his feet now as quickly as he was earlier.

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