Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government absolutely is aware of the anxiety and additional costs that many people across our country are facing at the moment due to the rise in energy prices, which is mostly being caused by what is happening in the war in Ukraine. We are aware of the worry that many now are contending with as they see their bills go up due to the rising price of food, which is due, in turn, to the food consequences and the raw material consequences of what is happening in that awful war.

It is precisely in recognition of the additional costs that so many are facing that the Government already has acted. Since we brought in last year's budget, we have acted on two separate occasions. We brought in measures that are now in the process of being implemented to make a difference. We brought in the additional payment of €125 for those who are most at risk of energy poverty. We have brought in, and shortly will see implemented, the €200 rebate on electricity bills. Only a number of weeks ago, we brought in additional measures on the price of fuel at the pump, as well as other measures to try to help with the cost of living, which we know is building.

Deputy Doherty made reference to the ESRI report and the inflation forecasts that are included in it. That same report made the point that as we move into dealing with this latest crisis, we are doing so with an economy that is growing, with 2.5 million people at work and with flexibility and capacity for the Government to respond to the latest challenge to which our country, our people and our economy must rise. One of the reasons we are in a position to do so is that while we were dealing with the challenges of the past number of years, we did our best each day to do all we could as a Government and to act in a sensible way, while being conscious that this challenge is one that could be with us, and, indeed, was with us, for some time.

It is the same now. We face a crisis the duration of which is uncertain due to forces that - in fairness, Deputy Doherty acknowledged this - are outside the control of our country. The Government needs the ability and capacity to respond to all of the additional costs and needs to which we will need to respond, and we are doing so. A total of €800 million in funding for additional measures has been given since budget day, as well as the €1 billion in funding for measures announced on budget day, to help with the rising cost of living. We will help with that. The Deputy is raising this issue at the same time as his party in Northern Ireland has just voted through a rates increase for local councils. Decisions his party has made in Northern Ireland, include, for example, an increase of 3.9% in the rates bill families and ratepayers will pay in Mid Ulster. I assume the reason his colleagues in Northern Ireland are doing this is that they are facing the same pressures and challenges we are facing here and are trying to find ways in which they can raise money to respond to the challenges their constituents and communities have and to the challenges they know are approaching.

That is the decision the Deputy's party is making in Northern Ireland and it is the very kind of decision the Government is trying to avoid at this time. Instead, we are bringing forward measures that we know, for many people, will not insulate and cover them from all the costs they are now facing but which will help them. We are determined to ensure those measures are implemented swiftly.

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