John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief and follow on from Senator Garvey. This is a straightforward Bill. It is part of our commitment, following on from the budget last year and into the budget this year, to mitigate and to try to help to insulate people against the cost-of-living crisis. This time around we are making it as simple and efficient as possible. That is why it is being deducted at source, which we did not do last year. This is a good example. The three instalments will come in January, February and March-April, following the good work of the budget last year. As I said, we are making it more efficient, which is useful. This all goes back 18 months to when Ukraine was first invaded in early 2022 and we did not know how long the energy crisis or the cost-of-living crisis would continue. It has abated somewhat but it is ongoing. We will not be able to insulate everyone against every price increase. No Government can. It would be wrong for anyone to say otherwise, but with this Bill the Government is trying, as it has in the past 12 months, to insulate as many people as possible, including some of the most vulnerable people who are at risk of energy poverty. We are doing so with this Bill. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today and wish him well in progressing the Bill through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible.