Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I understand the issue concerning having a buffer in place to address the volatility in prices, many of the causes of which are outside our control. The ESRI stated again this morning that it expects the inflation rate to peak by the end of the first quarter. I know that means we will continue to have rising prices, but as the year progresses, some of the issues that have emerged in terms of world supply and Covid will ease. I hope that will be some help.

In terms of a buffer, that is why we have carbon tax increases planned for the years ahead, in order that we have funding in place to help people, especially those on social welfare, who are the direct beneficiaries of the carbon tax measures we have in place.

We would love to be able to provide people with the €100 this side of Christmas. Many people pay by coin in meters and others are in apartment blocks and the bills might not be in their name. That takes a couple of weeks to sort out. We could not proceed with a scheme and leave those people out of it this side of Christmas and give it to the rest of us. A couple of weeks' work will be required in the new year and I know everybody will help to move the legislation swiftly through the Houses as soon as we come back.

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