John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Many bus and coach operators that bring in visitors here and travel all over the country, some of which are based in my constituency, made the effort and could not get the vehicles. They could not afford the vehicles. They decided then they were going to change tyres and have proper green-types of tyres, and guess what? The tyres wear quicker, cost more and a person has to use two of them compared to one standard tyre. How is the Government going to pay for that just transition? Does it expect the business to pay for it? That is fair enough if it does. At the end of the day, however, the consumer will pay for it.

With regard to just transition in terms of those who are most in need in our society, the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, said the Government would increase the pension by €5 a week. The Fine Gael parliamentary party said the rate should be increased by €10 per week. The Government has to increase it by €20 a week and tell people they will get increases of €20 next year and €20 the following year because they will be swamped by costs.

The other issue is we want to buy our electricity from France and Wales and are happy to take nuclear electricity from them, but not prepared to discuss it here. That is the problem with the alternatives. There are alternatives and cost solutions to all of this, but the Government and the EU are supposed to lead it, but they are not and, therefore, we have to lead by example and try, through financing, to bring people with us and sustain their businesses, retain jobs and ensure we reach some sort of targets. Please do not be daft with targets or in the treatment of businesses that are struggling, even at present. My contribution within my parliamentary party is to change the nonsensical course upon which it has embarked.

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