Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to the Chamber. I welcome the Bill before us, which relates to the cost of living and energy costs for Irish householders. It will have a hugely beneficial and real immediate impact once it can be processed.The electricity cost emergency benefit scheme is welcome. A sum of €100 was announced before Christmas, which is to be amended to €200 in recognition of the price increase for wholesale gas. I also welcome the Government response, with the cost-of-living measures that were agreed last week. It is a realistic, targeted package, which will have an immediate positive impact by putting money back in people's pockets by quickly deploying cash to all households. That package of €505 million encompasses a range of measures to mitigate the cost of living, including a €125 fuel allowance lump payment, the energy credit of €100 excluding VAT, which we are dealing with in this Bill, an increase in the weekly income threshold for the working family payment, a reduction in the drugs payment scheme threshold, and a maximum annual charge of €150 per family at primary level and €100 per family at post primary for the next academic year for school and public transport fare reduction. Those are all positives. They are targeted and reduce costs for families. I welcome all of that.

There was a debate about the carbon tax. The beauty of the carbon tax is that it is ring-fenced. People know that the money being collected for carbon tax goes to the retrofitting of homes. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, announced a scheme last week which has been very beneficial. If climate change did not exist, which of course it does, retrofitting homes and reducing costs would still be beneficial. The carbon tax is targeted and important. There is a scheme relating to the carbon tax for farmers, which will be rolled out under the new Common Agricultural Policy in 2023. That is an area where the carbon tax is being used for environmental gain.

Some people have spoken about the cost of Government subsidies for fuel, diesel and petrol. There is a high cost, but it also goes into general taxation, which pays for all the services that are provided across the country, in urban and rural areas. I have heard people say, quite dismissively, that tax collected in rural Ireland is all spent in Dublin. That is ridiculous. Plenty of taxes and services are provided and spent in rural communities. Every public official, teacher, garda, nurse, public servant and special needs assistant as well as our health services are paid for from general taxation and they provide the services that people avail of. We also welcome the €597 million in roads funding that has been announced. There is some €37.6 million for Galway County Council, which is beneficial.

I also welcome the Government investment of €25 million announced some weeks ago for Rossaveal fishery harbour. This will be potentially used in the building, maintenance and servicing of wind farms off the west coast. A project by Macquarie's Green Investment Group at Sceirde Rocks off the west coast received relevant status from the Department in the first half of 2020. This important project can progress through the planning permission process, subject to the Maritime Area Planning Act, which was recently passed by the Houses. That is positive and has potential to harness offshore and renewable energy to allow us to become a country that exports energy. That will help to reduce the costs of fuel and our reliance on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels and gas will play a part over the coming decades, which is acknowledged. The potential of offshore energy is substantial. I welcome this Bill as a positive step to assist families with the cost of living.