Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We know the greatest risk to jobs and economic recovery this winter is the ever-growing cost of energy and the energy security crisis, yet the Government has not countenanced any kind of cap on energy prices despite most other EU countries pursuing some version of a cap. We saw a report on Euractiv at the weekend. I see the Taoiseach is shaking his head so he might clarify this. It appears the EU energy ministers have now asked the Commission to examine how the Spanish and Portuguese model of a price cap on gas can be extended to the rest of the EU. Can the Taoiseach confirm if Ireland is in support of a price cap on gas at an EU level? Can he confirm whether the Government has considered any mechanism to cap the price paid for gas at the Corrib field? In our Labour Party budget proposals, we called for the temporary nationalisation of the gas field to help us to control the input price of the 30% of our gas needs that we produce here on this island alongside the implementation of the Spanish and Portuguese model, given they have limited the price of gas for electricity production. Has the Government considered either of those options and will it support the EU plans for a price cap on gas?

See this speech in context