Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We all know the extent to which the cost of electricity and gas has gone up. You only have to look at your utility bill to know that. People are feeling the squeeze. Some families are really struggling and having to make very difficult decisions about what they spend their money on because of the increase in the cost of living. These are largely driven by international factors, including the mismatch between global supply and demand and, in particular, Putin's war in Ukraine. If Deputies go to Northern Ireland, Britain, France, Spain or Germany, they will see they are experiencing the same problems we are because this is an international problem.

Government can help and is helping. In January we introduced €1 billion of budget measures, including an increase in the minimum wage, increases in welfare and pension and reductions in income tax for middle-income earners, which Deputy Doherty opposed. The average couple, both on the average income, would be paying €800 more in income tax this year if the Deputy was finance Minister, and that is a fact. Since then, we have introduced another €1.4 billion in additional measures. We have taken 20 cent of the cost of petrol and 15 cent off the cost of diesel. We are as low as we are allowed to go under European law when it comes to taxes on diesel.

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