Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

The cost of diesel and petrol has become a major issue, irrespective of whether one is working in the transport business, farming or agribusiness, or whether one is a tour operator. The first thing people who have been given the opportunity to go back to work must think about is whether they have €80 or €100 to put fuel in the car. A person in the tourism industry with a contract with CIE or a tour operator contracted to bring tourists around the country for a 12-month period realises the price of diesel has gone out of control in recent months.

Those in agriculture, on which sector we depend to get the economy going again, must pay up-front before they can obtain the oil or diesel to carry out their work. Those in the transport industry, be they bringing goods abroad or up and down this country, are at their wits' end. I have met all the relevant groups in this regard over the past three or four weeks. Rather than take a short-term view and reduce the price of fuel by 4 cent per litre, we should all take a long-term view on how to overcome the problem. because one could take 4 cent off the price of litre today but by the middle of next week, the price of oil could have gone up again. The Minister for Finance has started a process. We are a long way off coming up with a solution to help those in the workforce going to work and business and which will suit everybody because taxes must be paid. If we are to reduce tax on diesel and petrol, we must get it from somewhere else and we have a budget coming up at the end of the year.

I come from a rural constituency, I have met companies and I have put much work into this in the context of agribusinesses and transport businesses. Those companies' backs are to the wall. Some of them acknowledge that perhaps they have too many machines or lorries on the road. People could co-operate more, even in the tourism end of things. All those who depend on diesel or petrol must come together and work with the Government in the lead up to the budget to see what other way we can collect the tax. If the predictions are right - I have no reason to disbelieve them - and if the price of a litre of petrol or diesel increases further, it will cost thousands of jobs, in particular in rural Ireland. Rural Deputies of all parties are being - I will not say "lobbied" - told the facts by people in the industry.

I welcome the opportunity for a discussion but looking for a reduction of 4 cent per litre is not the answer. It covers us for another week. What happens next week if the price of a barrel of oil goes up? This is an island and we depend, to a very large extent, on exports. We must have hauliers in the game. Much work has been done in regard to tourism and we must have people in the coach business when things pick up. Coming from County Clare, Deputy Dooley knows that one could bring tolls, the price of tyres, etc., into the debate but it is the price of fuel which is causing a major problem.

It would be very easy for everyone to vote in favour of this Bill and say it will be grand and it is a quick fix, but we must take a long-term view. Some Deputies in some parties have no answers and say "No" to everything. Everybody must work on this problem and come up with a constructive idea. The problem will not go away. There is a lady in the Gallery who spent more than €110 filling her car. I spoke to a man yesterday who wanted to get off the dole but he said that if he gets €80 or €90 more working, the first place it will go is into a car. That is where we are causing problems for people who are trying to get back into the workforce. Such costs are killing them.

Will people work together to find a long-term fix? We cannot go for a short-term fix because this problem will not go away. We, on the Government side, will work with the industries to come up with a proper solution. Will everyone who has an interest in the country do that? I genuinely mean that. The referendum on the fiscal compact is coming up and people are putting their parties before the people by calling for a "No" vote which is quite stupid because they will put people out of business. It is time we all put on the green jersey in regard to the price of diesel and the other problems we face. We should look at them together.

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