Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am just asking him to leave the people of rural Ireland alone and that is also all those people are asking for. He will not leave them alone, however. He was talking about the rebate scheme, but that does not apply to green diesel. The cost of fuel is going up and many people cannot get a rebate on white diesel either. It is not possible to go anywhere in rural Ireland without a car. I cannot understand Deputies in this Government, as well as others in the House, complaining about the carbon tax after talking about climate change. That is giving me bother as well. Deputies are complaining about the carbon tax, while at the same time supporting the notion of climate change. The climate will always change, but we will differ on what is causing that to happen.

I am only asking the Minister of State to leave people in rural Ireland alone. Those people are footing the bill for this Government's notion of closing down the bogs and power stations in the midlands. That is what is happening now and that is the honest truth. That is where the carbon tax is going and it will not even cover the cost involved because the closing down date was brought forward by six or seven years. The Minister of State said that people in rural Ireland should not expect to be paid to live there. All I am asking the Government to do is leave those people alone.

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