Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

I will not even take that. I will be brief.

The Government's commitment to tackling fuel poverty must be called into question, given the cuts to the amount of free gas and electricity units available under the household benefits scheme. This situation needs to be reversed to allow those most in need some relief from rising energy costs. The Minister of State has probably encountered people who are hurting - the most vulnerable, those with small incomes, old age pensioners or those with no incomes and only slight contributory pensions, assuming they even qualify for them. They must deprive themselves of proper heating for their homes because of their financial position. Will the Minister of State and the Government take this fact on board and ensure that people will at least be able to live in some form of comfort in these terrible economic times?

I welcome the Bill in principle. We will study it in great detail and table any amendment we draft. I hope the Bill will be passed as soon as possible and will take people's needs into consideration. The Bill offers an opportunity to debate all of the issues for which it proposes to legislate. I look forward to being part of the debate.

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