Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

I have been listening to some of the Deputies heckling, but they represent rural constituencies so I would like to ask them a question. Do they believe they have a world-class public infrastructure in their rural constituencies? Do they believe it is fair to impose a carbon tax on those in rural areas when there is no public transport alternative in many parts? Do they believe in their hearts that there are adequate bus services to work, schools or post offices in their communities? There have been cutbacks to all those rural transport schemes. If this money was being ring-fenced for a revolutionary approach to public transport infrastructure in rural areas, we could buy into it, but that is not happening.

Have Government Deputies been listening to hauliers in their rural constituencies? Many hauliers have had to close their businesses due to the crazy cost of diesel in recent years. Where is the support for them? How can we build the economy on that type of approach?

The cost of home heating oil will hit families who are struggling. Deputies opposite are filling up their oil tanks too, but they should try to imagine what it is like for somebody living on the dole or trying to keep a roof over their head on a basic wage. I am challenging rural Deputies on the Government benches who will have to answer for themselves when they go back to their constituencies.

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