Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

At the end of the year, the Government's budget showed it had taken €5 billion extra off the people in Ireland in taxes, even though Electric Ireland had €390.3 million in profits. I believe Bord Gáis Energy is expected to have €1 billion extra in its coffers this year than it had in 2021.

Yet, representatives from Barnardos are in the audiovisual room in LH2000 this morning with a book called, Food Insecurity in Ireland: Impact on Children and their Parents. The Minister of State should look at it and go to the audiovisual room. Children are going hungry. Why? Parents are trying to pay the bills, and doing without themselves, because of excessive energy costs. Local businesses are going out of business because of the increase in costs in keeping the fridges on and the doors open.

The Government has ignored it. Its responsibility lies with the protection of the children in this country - the next generation to come - and the people of Ireland. All the Government has done is tax us out of existence. It had €5 billion leftover that it said came from corporate tax. It did not all come from corporate. It came from increases in energy and fuel costs where the Government took 50 cent in every euro. It is taking taxes at 9% but because they have inflated so much, it is actually up 50% in taxes on electricity costs from this time in 2019 and 2020. The inflated costs are what is wrong. The Government is getting more tax and saying it is helping but it is giving pittance. It has let the people of Ireland go hungry. This will be on the Government's watch. It will be brought to account come election time.

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