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

Ahead of next week's important summit, it is of grave importance that we deal with the hike in energy prices, migration and, of course, external relations. There is currently no co-ordinated EU policy on strategic gas reserves, with each member state having its own mechanisms for the building of gas docks. Some, including Italy and France, have some storage regulation, such as on maintaining minimum storage levels while others depend solely on market dynamics. Of the gas infrastructure we have, our sites are filled to 75% capacity compared with 95% capacity one year ago. We are in a crisis situation because 90% of the gas we use in Ireland and Europe is being imported into the EU.

Globally, the economies are picking up and the demand is rising, but the supply is not rising accordingly. Our European leaders have an awful lot of work to do, but I have to lay the blame fairly and squarely for what I see happening in Ireland. It is not just the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Of course, I am critical of his handling and political ability, or should I say inability, to deal with this situation. His answer to everything is to follow the green agenda, with nothing about the reality of today. People are trying to pay for the increased cost of electricity and gas and go to work and all he can talk about is slashing emissions. While he is slashing emissions, I know people who have to live.

The Minister has forgotten completely about his constituents. While I hate talking about people when they are not here, I would go so far as to say that he does not care about his constituents. If he did, he would be saying that in taking these measures, we have to allow people to live at the same time.

Brussels appears to be reluctant to take the lead in tackling the issue. This is leaving countries to fend for themselves. We are not able to fend for ourselves. We are facing an unprecedented crisis that requires extraordinary and serious measures from the European Union to control the price hikes we are enduring. I have been the holder of a carbon licence for over 30 years. I am probably the only person in this Chamber that holds such licences. This means I am acutely aware of the costs of fuel over the last three decades. In those three decades, I have never seen what is happening now. It is frightening because the cost of everything will go up accordingly.

The European green energy transition strategy is also a leading cause of the crisis. The Minister of State and the Government will have to catch this by the horns. I am not standing up here to fight with the Minister of State. I am asking him, for God’s sake, to wake up to the crisis. People have to go to work and they have to heat their homes. We need assistance in controlling these prices that have gone out of control.

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