Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The most frightening thing for families is not being able to pay a bill, especially an electricity bill. Not paying such a bill could lead to the power being switched off in anyone's home. In these times of bills being recklessly hoisted upon households due to the Government not taking control of the problem from the word go, €200 here and €200 there is not going to solve this crisis. It is only kicking the can down the road.

The hotel and supermarket sectors are also at a crisis point and do not know where to turn or how to pay the next bill. Someone from the Irish National Teachers Organisation told me recently about a parish priest paying the electricity bill for his local school to keep the lights on. We find ourselves in astonishing situations. We are in a crisis and €200 this year will not scratch the surface for the ordinary mother and father, the same people who are being bled dry at the filling station day in, day out, due to greedy Government taxes on diesel and petrol. The price of diesel is €2.05 per litre in filling stations because the Government gave no help to hard-pressed motorists in the last budget. Of course, why would it? If it gave some relief, it would have helped those mainly in rural Ireland as they do the most travel. Still, there were Fianna Fáil backbenchers shouting in the Dáil last week for stronger climate action regulations so as to further crucify the people who are already in crisis.

Of course, electricity disconnections will happen in the months ahead as no real commitment has been made to tackle this issue. Many of those receiving fuel allowance are in a desperate situation. A lot of people fall between the cracks and cannot get fuel allowance. We are facing blackouts in this country. As I have said before, if there is an electricity blackout in this country, the Government should be run out of office - it will be anyway - by the people.

I agree with what Deputy Mattie McGrath said about the comments made by Deputy O'Reilly when she spoke about us earlier. We are entitled to make our own speeches about tourism in rural Ireland. I will take no lecture from Deputy O'Reilly or anyone in Sinn Féin. I will stand for my people and continue to stand for them, and she will not lecture us. She would want to look at her own speeches a lot of the time.

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