Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Kelly's call for a debate with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources about fuel costs in this country. The Senator is perfectly correct that there are huge variations in prices. Certainly, one can get very good value in Ballindine, County Mayo.

Birr in County Offaly is another town where I encountered much lower fuel prices than in my own area. It is important that we debate the huge impact of fuel costs generally on the economy. They affect businesses, transport costs and the running of hotels and other enterprises with is a significant dependence on fuel. Given that our winters are, apparently, getting longer, every cent counts when it comes to the cost of fuel. Families are experiencing major difficulties in this regard, with fuel poverty a major issue for the elderly, in particular. A discussion on this issue would be timely in the light of the recent announcement by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, on oil exploration off our coast. I, therefore, ask the Leader to accommodate a wide-ranging debate on fuel costs and energy provision into the future.