Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. The carbon tax was increased in the budget and this means the cost of a bag of coal will rise by €1.50 next May. In addition, a bale of briquettes will increase by 50 cent. People are buying single bales of briquettes in order to heat their homes for a day. This shows how badly off they are and the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Burton, are aware that this is the case.

I appeal to Labour Deputies and, indeed, those in Fine Gael to search their consciences. The latter never had consciences so they are unlikely to develop them now.

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