Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I must be honest with the Deputy. We can help, in particular with the energy costs, but no government should give the indication to the people of Ireland and the economy that we can cover or insulate any business from all of the cost changes that are going on at the moment. I know the Deputy recognises that. While she was perhaps not calling on me to do it, she was putting the energy costs in the context of all of the other prices that are going up as well. I know the butcher's shop to which she referred. People will have been working in the shop and families will have been dependent on it who now find themselves at a tough moment. I am sure they are worrying about where the next job will come from. I fully understand that. We are trying to help. I believe we are using as much flexibility as we can under the state aid framework, but I reiterate that we should get the scheme up and running, and understand what it will cost and what impact it is having. The Government will keep this matter under review. I do not believe a change is currently merited.

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