Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I appreciate his judgment and I value it. The Minister sounded very conciliatory. I said at the very start that I did not want anything to be personal, but he seems to be missing the point we are trying to represent that there are so many people he is not bringing with him. Ní neart go cur le chéile. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. We want the young people to be involved and to help and, indeed, we admire them. However, there is so much confusion and so much fear. Why the rush, why the indecent haste, why the guillotine and why reject all amendments? The Minister had a conciliatory tone, I appreciated it and it sounded great but why the rush then? Why not give enough time to debate it? I am not suggesting we delay it for two years. I am suggesting we delay it for a month or whatever and have proper debate and look at amendments.

The Minister should, as I said, talk to the farming organisations about what is being done in France with the methane gas. The Minister should prove us wrong about our worries. We did not dream them up. EirGrid is telling us things and the people are living through these issues. I, therefore, appeal again to the Minister - and our amendments obviously are not going to be reached - to reflect on this, in the conciliatory tone he has had in the last several minutes. He must understand our frustration and that of the people we represent. That is our job as Teachtaí Dála, messengers of the people. We represent the people here. In Deputy Nolan's constituency we have seen the damage of the so-called just transition which is an unjust imposition. Listen to the farmers, listen to the people who are out there. Listen to the people who are trying to get the warmer homes grant. Listen to the people trying to buy insulation. Listen to the people trying to build houses now when the prices have gone up 40%, mainly due to the carbon tax. Listen to the people who are buying briquettes imported from Germany and elsewhere because we cannot buy them at home. It is nonsense. In the same conciliatory tone, I appeal to the Minister, I beg of him to give us the latitude for a proper reasonable debate and time. Nothing more, nothing less.

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