Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach. Notwithstanding the measures the Government has taken, people are still struggling, as I have described. The Taoiseach has confirmed that he also recognises that. All along, we have said to the Taoiseach and his Government that the one-off measures that were introduced to assist people were, of course, welcomed by people. All help is good help when you are under pressure. What people really have needed and still need, however, is a sense of certainty and an ability to plan. They need to know where their household will be and how they will provide for themselves and their children at the end of next month and the month after that. While the Taoiseach's acknowledgement of the potential cliff edge is welcome, as is his assertion that there will be no cliff edge, we need more than that now. People need to see the colour of his money. They have to see the shape of the plan. I again ask whether the reduced VAT rate for gas and electricity will come to an end or whether the Government will continue it. Likewise, will the reduction in excise duty on petrol, diesel and home heating oil be continued? What about the moratorium on energy disconnections and the moratorium on evictions? People need that sense of a plan and certainty now.

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