Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle and my colleagues for bringing forward this timely motion. In recent weeks we have watched fuel and prices steadily increase. Petrol and diesel prices have increased by 7.6% and 9% respectively. This Government seems hell-bent on ensuring fuel prices hit the €2 mark as soon as possible. This Government is planning two fuel price hikes in October and that these price hikes are not happening in isolation. They are happening in the middle of the cost-of-living crisis and they are suffocating workers. These price hikes need to be stopped. It is ordinary workers and pensioners and vulnerable members of our society who will feel the brunt of these price hikes most.

Some commentators say these price hikes are needed to push more people to buy electrical vehicles and to push people to cycle in active transport. The reality is that for the average person in Ireland an electric car is beyond their means. In the past year, the price of an electric car has jumped by 13% and, as a result, an electric car in Ireland now costs an average of €65,000. That is an enormous sum of money for ordinary people in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

Last week I spoke to a young mother who works as a healthcare worker in a hospital here in Dublin. She told me why she does not use public transport despite having the choice. She said that to drive to hospital takes her 20 minutes versus over an hour on the bus. Getting public transport every day for her would add more than seven hours a week to her commute. We need to see this Government delivering efficient public transport so that we can ease the congestion we are seeing across the city and start improving the quality of life for those living in the city.

Many communities across my constituency, like Pearse Street and Kevin Street, experience constant traffic congestion throughout the day. Many times of the day these streets are like car parks simply because the Government and Dublin City Council have failed to put in effective public transport. The city council slowing down the lights will simply not work.

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