Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Not all children have the free schoolbooks scheme. That is not in place in August. Will it be in place? The fact is that ordinary people are trying to send their kids to school or college and to go to work. The Minister of State talks about a just transition. Can I explain something? If the Minister of State ever goes to Grenagh in Cork North-Central, which is my constituency, in a rural area, or to Whitechurch, Carrignavar, Glenville or Watergrasshill, he will see that people do not have one or two cars in the drive but three or four because there is virtually no public transport. The Minister of State comes in here and talks about a just transition and carbon taxes. For people living in the areas and communities that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael forgot about, and in which they never put public transport, that is what it means. People who live in the rural areas of my constituency need transport. At the same time, the Government is putting up the price of petrol and diesel.

It is not just people in rural areas. The public transport in the areas I represent in Cork city is a disgrace. Buses do not turn up or are late. At the same time, the Minister of State is talking about how we have to pay our carbon taxes. People have to get to work, school or college. What the Government is doing with these price hikes is putting more pressure on ordinary people and families.

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