Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, support the motion tabled. The people I represent and those I meet outside my constituency are perplexed by what is going on. They see the price gouging and they see their bills. They saw how the Government imposed a carbon tax on top of what it already had in place at a time when there were high energy costs. What is going on?

The Government had to dragged kicking and screaming to decouple wind energy, which is much cleaner, safer and cheaper than other sources of energy. Has the Government implemented that yet? The Government's failure to act is an abdication of its responsibility under the Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, to look after the citizens of this country. The Government should not do them ill; it should do them good by any means possible. It blackguarding them, however. It is as if it wants to squeeze the lifeblood, the very energy, enthusiasm, and spark that ignites them. We saw 1848 being commemorated, the national flag being honoured and the Taoiseach attending events yesterday. There was among people pride in our flag. Of course we have pride in the red, white and orange. The Government is not fit to carry either the flag or the baton of power. It has reneged on every promise it ever made. That is as sure as I am standing here. It will not look after the people in any shape, make or form. It adds penury to them and then it stopped people when they had their own source of energy, turf. The Acting Chair, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, is looking at me, but he need not travel far from in his constituency to get to Moneyaha Bog where he will see banks of turf. I will take one if it is issued. I never took one in my lifetime but I often brought home turf for people.

People who have energy want to be able to use it but they cannot do so. They are being stopped from doing so. The chimneys are being blocked up. That is the kind of blackguarding we have. New houses cannot have chimneys. This is at a time when the Government cannot stop people flying drones over Dublin Airport. What in God's name is it doing? Kindergarten children would do better. I do not say that lightly. I do not want to insult the intelligence of anyone in the Government. They are intelligent enough. As for the advisers, they would make up meitheals of men and women. The Minister is heading off globetrotting. There is no carbon tax on flights. He is going all over the world. I hope he will go to Kim Jong-un and perhaps stay out someplace like that so he would not come back and bother us anymore. Let the people alone. I have nothing personal against the man, but he should go away somewhere, have his pipe dreams, eat his lettuce, put it in his south-facing window boxes and do whatever else. Leave the people of Ireland alone. That is all I am asking here tonight.

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