Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We need to see from the Tánaiste’s Department some kind of projections and worst-case scenario as to what sections of the economy are more at risk from higher energy prices and the knock-on effect of unemployment. I am sure that there are senior officials in his Department who can have some kind of an opinion as to what we are facing into in a worst-case scenario and what supports may be needed to be prepared for in such a scenario. Has the Tánaiste spoken to the energy regulator when it comes to energy prices right across the board, but particularly, in this instance, for small and medium-sized enterprises? Could the Department have a scheme that it may be able to roll out which could prevent job losses? It could have some kind of employment support scheme, as it had in the past. As the Tánaiste is aware, some businesses across Dublin, across the country and in my own constituency, did not survive the Covid-19 pandemic and some that did might not survive this crisis. I ask the Tánaiste again about the type of analysis that his Department may be doing as to worst-case scenarios.

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