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

I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for bringing this very important motion before the Dáil. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil did a deal with the Green Party to gain power and privileges at any cost and this has meant a lot of financial hardship and pain for Irish families. The public's interest was never at the heart of the deal done to form this Government. It was all about power and self-interest. One example of this financial hardship and pain is the soaring bills for electricity and gas which households have to endure. The front page of a recent edition of the Irish Examineroutlined the differences. The cost of filling a car with diesel one year ago was €63; it is now €94. The cost of filling an oil tank a year ago was €450; today it is €761. The Government would like to say that this is due to factors beyond its control. That is not true. We have a policy of dependence on renewable energy for our energy supply while not having the renewable sources in place or a plan to put them in place. We have a new policy to close down any prospect of new offshore oil and gas exploration, which could provide a competing source of energy. The Government imposes carbon taxes on all energy and heating products and these are to increase in each year's budget until 2030. The Government imposes VAT charges and also imposed a public service obligation, PSO, levy which applies to every household bill. This collects approximately €400 million annually. These funds are given directly to large multinational firms to subsidise the building of wind turbines. This charge on every household has increased by 123% since Deputy Micheál Martin became Taoiseach. This Government is doing nothing for struggling families. The cost of electricity is going up, as is everything else. What the Government is doing makes no sense. It is forgetting the people because it has, quite simply, lost touch with them.

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