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

I echo the sentiments of Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. Sinn Féin is back here again with an election looming. After the last election, it realised the people of Ireland do not want it because again it is changing its stories over and over again after it voted for carbon tax. A person will get a grant for up to €2,100 for solar panels but in the last three years, the cost of the panels has gone up by 20% due to inflation. Why bother giving the grants if all it is doing is driving up the price of solar panels?

Our wind energy planning regulations have been outdated for the past 15 to 20 years. The regulations only cover turbines up to 80 m high, but these machines are now 100 m and 120 m high. Given the distance between houses and family homes, we can see where the problem lies. Ireland does not have the land bank for wind energy onshore. We have the means to generate this offshore but not on land.

People must realise that the price of electricity is going up They are being forced to put in heat pumps and all the rest of it, and their bills are higher. It is continuous inflation. Sinn Féin has been a part of this because the party voted for the carbon tax that brings this impact to everyone's house. People must start believing that everything the Independents have been saying here for the past four years has been the truth. Every time there is something on, this populist party changes its story. The Independents have been the only true voice for the people of this country who are suffering.

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