Carol Nolan says carbon tax cripples farmers, slams just transition

Minister, I just want to start off by saying, you know, you've made several references there to what has been done for farming families, but I'd like to firstly point out that yes, while some measures are welcome, there are difficulties, there's very, very serious difficulties, the carbon tax is crippling every sector, including farmers, you've left that one out, agri-contractors cannot survive at the level of tax that is being posed on them, and this of course is being passed, to farmers. Also, Minister, the BEAM scheme has been an absolute disaster, absolute disaster, so I would ask for that to be revised and improved. I also want to point out to you that, you know, you've said about budget and the budget in October and the forthcoming budget and so forth, but people cannot wait till October. People are really struggling. You know, I get calls every day in my offices across Leach and Offaly from elderly people, working families, businesses, farmers, farmers and hauliers. You're doing nothing for those people. Those people are struggling while this government, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, continue to support the Green Party in their vanity project, and that's what it is. You are punishing the citizens that voted for you. That's what's happening, Minister, and whether you want to realise that or wake up to that is a matter for yourselves, but that's the harsh reality. People in rural Ireland don't have the luxury of transport outside their door every morning, so they have to fill their cars with petrol and diesel to get to work. And, you know, these are the people that are being punished, Minister. I find myself as a rural TD in Leach Offaly, standing up here constantly trying to protect the jobs that we have. I should be standing up about job creation. But at the minute, it's such a disaster because of the just transition and what your government have done. Again, with your green ideology, you've thrown the Midlands under the bus, under the green bus. And, you know, what you need to see is the chaos that you're causing. And this just transition, by the way, is on top of the struggles that people already have with the price hikes that we see in electricity and heating. But in terms of the just transition or the unjust transition and what it's done, I mean, there has been job losses. And now we're seeing jobs under pressure in terms of forestry, in terms of haulage as well. The hauliers are under a lot of pressure. Forestry, Minister, I don't know what's exactly happening in there, but I would be very grateful if you could try and sort out the mess. Horticulture, an absolute disaster. The Green Minister refused and ignored recommendations from a working group. Now, that is absolutely outrageous. And you can paint this any way you like. But, Minister, the reality and the harsh reality is that jobs are at stake. Tens of thousands of jobs. You are punishing people unnecessarily, particularly with the carbon tax. And my group here, the Rural Independent Group, Deputy Matty McGrath being the leader of the group, is the only group to be very consistent on the carbon tax. In fact, we were the only political group to oppose the carbon tax from day one. And I think people need to know that as well and not be fooled by what's happening in here, in this echo chamber at times. But what you do need to listen to, Minister, is the voice of the people. People cannot continue. The facts are there. St Vincent de Paul, I'm sure, has been in touch with your government. And they have had an unprecedented number of calls this year to their service. People cannot continue like this. I have seen applications for the fuel allowance refused. People that should be entitled to it are not entitled to it because the government has not gone far enough. Now, we have seen in other countries where they have brought in measures to help people, a range of measures. But as I stress to you again, people cannot wait till October. And Minister, in terms of the carbon tax and the terrible negative impact it's happening on agriculture, I would appeal to you as Minister for Agriculture, you know, to stand up and try and sort that mess out. Because it is crippling people, agri-contractors, farming families, and it appears like the Green Party want to force farmers off the land altogether. And if you are part and parcel of that, Minister, that is certainly not standing up for farmers in my eyes. It is punishing them. But people in general are being punished. We have seen, as I said, a very brunt just transition or a transition that isn't fair, no alternative jobs. People are struggling to heat their homes and to pay for basics. And Minister, I just appreciate if you could actually give me the courtesy of listening to the message I have here from my constituents in Leigh Shoffley. Sorry. Sorry. I'm refusing to continue until the Minister gives me the few minutes that I have left and the courtesy of that. I have always been reasonable. No, sorry, Chair. Sorry. I was interrupted there and disrupted. I'm sorry. No, sorry. As a party that claims to be fair and just. No, excuse me. No, excuse me. No, excuse me. I was interrupted and disrupted. No, I'm distracted. No, I will not. I will not. I will not. I will not sit down. I will not sit down. No, excuse me. I will not sit down. No, excuse me. I was interrupted and disrupted. No, every day. No, excuse me. Every TD in this House deserves help. You, you, you refused to correct two deputies who continue to do the fair. I am a member of the Chair. No, how dare you. How dare you. Where, where is justice going? Where's justice going? Where's justice going? Where's justice going? I'm not finished. No, excuse me. I am not finished. No, I am not. I want the courtesy of that minute. No, you did not. You fainted. is government now anyway supporting the carbon tax excuse me you refused to correct two deputies who continue to speak I will not know excuse me I was finishing to conclude I am calling on the minister and his government and indeed maybe Sinn Féin could support to make sure that there's a mini budget to support those who are struggling thank you you