Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Government's answer is to take €10 in every €17 in tax from the people of Ireland. The cost of building materials has gone up by 40%. That dilutes the Minister's retrofit grant, which is now non-existent, at €23,500. It is gone with the price increases. People cannot afford to do what the Minister wants them to do. The weekly shop for two adults and two children has gone up by €60. The Minister's answer to the agricultural sector is a 2 cent per litre reduction, even though it will now cost €50 extra per acre to bring in the silage which feeds the cows that produce milk. Who will pay the extra tax? It will be the consumers who will pay the extra tax on that in their shopping bill. Who will make the tax? The Government will.

To take a simple thing, people try to save on energy costs by not using the tumble dryer. They go out to buy a clothes line and clothes pegs. The Government is taking 23% tax in VAT on the clothes line and clothes pegs, on baby wipes, shower gel and toothpaste. If I could get a bar of soap, I would need to wash out the Minister's mouth with it but I would pay the 23% VAT on that.

All the Minister supports is Dublin Port and Dublin Airport. Some 31 million people came through Dublin Airport pre Covid. How did they get up and down the country? In cars and buses. Where did the carbon footprint go? It went up. The Minister will not support Shannon Airport and give it the big investment to increase the dispersal of traffic from Cork, Foynes and Dublin Port. By lifting a ramp, the Minister could reduce carbon and carbon tax by reducing the 87% of trucks with food produce that come through Dublin. Why not come through Foynes and other ports and reduce the tax at 7 miles to the gallon that every truck burns?

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