Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Not agreed. I listen to the Minister and I always wish him well but how can the Government sit by and allow 65% tax on every litre of fuel and diesel? The price of these goods is skyrocketing and it is driving inflation mad. We need an urgent debate on this in this House. The Minister talked about the €2 billion the Government spent but that is wiped away on a daily basis because people cannot afford to heat their homes and put fuel in their cars. They have to choose between heat, food and petrol or diesel. Unless the Government grasps the nettle and does something, facing into the late summer and autumn, we will have terrible problems, which we have already. We need an urgent debate on this issue.

The Rural Independent Group has written to the Minister's colleague to take action and he has refused point blank. The Government should take a leaf out of Poland's and other European countries' book. They have taken strong action to try to help their people, which this Government was elected to do.

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