Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The world is looking on with increasing anxiety at the behaviour of Russia, the mounting prospect of war in Ukraine and the potential for horrific loss of life. The clear breach of international law by Russia cannot stand and sanctions are appropriate and absolutely necessary. There is a serious concern that these sanctions will impact directly on the soaring cost of living here at home. In fact, yesterday the Taoiseach said that in his view, sanctions will result in even further increases in the cost of energy at a time when people are to the pin of their collar paying huge gas, electricity and home heating oil bills. The Taoiseach also stated that there will be not further intervention by Government to tackle the cost of living crisis until the budget and that it will drive on with its carbon tax hike. That is not good enough. The Government must act to protect families and workers from the increased, and increasing, cost of energy. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm what he proposes to do about the further hike in energy prices that he has predicted.

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