Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

Most of this inflation is because of increasing utility costs, not demand. The Government has control over many of these costs, but the Minister stated that it has no control over the pricing of electricity for small businesses. Can the Government start to effect such control? What mitigating activities is the Government taking to address the increasing price of oil, which is due to the weakness of the dollar? Given Germany's focus on ridding itself of the nuclear aspect of its energy resources, there will be major pressure on gas. It is important that the Government focus on a proper competitiveness policy in respect of utilities for the near future. I would like to discuss interest rates shortly.

See this speech in context