Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this important motion. People in every walk of life are suffering from the increased cost of living in our country, especially less well-off people who are suffering more and are less able to cope with these increased costs.

The increased cost of gas and oil has driven up everything else. If we did what other countries did at the very beginning by capping the cost of electricity and curtailing the amount of VAT on gas, carbon tax and excise that the Government took, the thing could have been controlled much better and the cost of living would have remained basically the same as it had been. It would have made life much easier for everyone.

The cost of electricity has tripled, the electricity companies are making triple the profits out of it and the Government is taking increased tax out of it. Yet, as we know today, the cost of making electricity has reduced considerably. We have oil off the Cork coast and gas off the Kerry coast and the Shannon liquefied natural gas, LNG, terminal could import gas more cheaply from western sources. The Government does not want to entertain that because of its green policies.

Sadly, there is the VAT on the hospitality sector. If the Government increases that, who will pay for it only the consumer? It will hurt the tourism sector. The Government must keep that VAT rate at 9%.

The Government has missed its opportunities.

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