Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Workers and families face a cost-of-living crisis that the Government has failed to respond to adequately, a reality that will become clearer in the winter months ahead. I feel like an extra in "Game of Thrones" from repeating this but the reality is that for many workers and families, winter is coming. They simply do not know how they are going to get through this winter.

This Bill includes several so-called climate-related measures, including an increase in carbon tax on petrol and diesel. Petrol prices have increased and diesel prices have increased. The Government states that the cause of this is outside of its control and that international factors are contributing to the increase in petrol and diesel. We are not disputing this. It is how the Government responds and the measures it takes to tackle the cost-of-living crisis that are open to criticism. Carbon Taxes are a Government policy. Introducing carbon taxes is not a reaction to international conflicts; it is a Government decision. Taking what we know about the price of petrol and diesel rising and workers and families being pushed to the pin of their collars, the Government decided to increase the cost of petrol and diesel by introducing carbon taxes. Sinn Féin would not have penalised households with further tax hikes for heating their homes or running their cars. Instead, we would have focused on the alternatives that people need to move towards in a low-carbon economy, such as delivering on retrofits that are affordable and accessible. Carbon tax, lauded as an incentive for people to reduce carbon emissions, fails to recognise that most of those impacted have no credible alternative to their current car or heating system. The carbon tax is simply a charge for them going about their daily business.

The housing crisis is still the biggest issue facing people in my constituency. Ordinary workers and families are locked out of the housing market. Rents are through the roof in my area. There are thousands of workers and families on never-ending waiting lists for public homes. Homelessness and child homelessness is at an all-time high. One of the things that really galls people in my area is seeing vacant homes on a daily basis. These are homes that have been empty for long periods of time. These vacant homes, which could become a home for a family, are being left empty and idle. Sinn Féin has called for a vacant homes tax for years in the face of Government opposition. In fairness, this Finance Bill introduces one, but it excludes derelict properties and the rate being applied for long-term vacancy calls into question how effective it will be in putting vacant housing back into use for workers and families. Again, the Government's measures have failed to address this problem.

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