Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The mere fact the issue of the carbon tax has been raised so many times, in our Private Members' motion earlier and in another Private Members' motion tomorrow, should show what an important issue it is. The idea of the tax is that it would change behaviours. We told the Minister at the time it would not do so because we did not have alternatives. We have seen the increase in the prices. The Minister might say it is only small but he does not need it at this particular time. He knows we have overshot the runway on VAT, income tax and corporation tax. People are looking to him. The message he is giving out to people is that he will pile more hardship on top of them. This is just not fair. This is why there is such a backlash against the Government. It really needs to listen. It is not just to the politicians he needs to listen. He needs to listen to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which always ends up picking up the pieces, and many other organisations such as Barnardos.

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