Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not agree with the approach being advocated by Sinn Féin and I think the Government approach is better. We are sitting down and talking to a whole variety of partners, such as the social partners, Social Justice Ireland and the other groups who are part of the social pillar in the National Economic and Social Council, as well as the environmental pillar and also unions and employers. We work best in this country when we work in collaboration. I think it is better for us to engage in that process, to look to the budget in October and to look at what social welfare or other measures may be needed to help us through what is going to be a very difficult period in this country and in every country across western Europe. Our problem is that we have that very high use of fossil fuels. We are one of the countries that is most dependent on imported fossil fuels. The fundamental, most important thing we need to do, as well as having those interim, short-term, immediate measures to help people through, is to make the switch away from the use of those fuels. That is what serves the Irish people best.

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