Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of those who have contributed to this important debate. I particularly thank the Deputies who have indicated their support for their motion and who are, like us, listening to constituents who are telling us they are enduring great hardship. These are ordinary families, businesses, farmers and hauliers. This crisis is affecting everybody in the State. There have been several power cuts in my county in recent weeks. There were, in fact, two power cuts in one week. As power cuts become more common, I wonder will we be dancing in the dark this Christmas.

The Government is not doing enough. It is not listening to people and there is a big disconnect. It does not have the empathy to reach out and listen to what people are saying. People in this country are enduring great hardship. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, unfortunately. Businesses are struggling to keep their doors open. Families are telling me they are struggling to put diesel or petrol in their cars every week. Heating bills and electricity bills have risen enormously. We have the highest electricity bills in the EU. Our average electricity and heating bills have now increased by between €500 and €800 per year. That is a colossal amount of money for any family or business struggling to keep its doors open. Despite the Government's rhetoric about helping people, I do not believe it is doing so. More needs to be done and proper regulation is required.

I wish to correct a statement made earlier by a representative of Solidarity-People Before Profit. That party tries to be true socialists. Electricity hikes are affecting the most vulnerable in our society. A representative made some sorry and incorrect statements this morning to the effect that we support data centres. I want to correct that because it is incorrect. At no point did Solidarity-People Before Profit engage with us or submit an amendment to the motion. Its representatives prefer to come in here and jump up and down----

See this speech in context