Conor D McGuinness: Meanness Laid Bare on Rising Fuel Costs
Conor D McGuinness addresses the Dáil on rising petrol, diesel and home heating oil prices and criticises the government's response as too late and insufficient. He warns that workers, families and rural communities are being hammered and that policy choices have left households exposed.
Summary: Conor D McGuinness told the Dáil that petrol and diesel prices are increasing sharply, and that the government's measures - including a small heating oil cut and a short fuel allowance extension - are inadequate. He argued the state could have removed excise on home heating oil but chose not to, calling the decision 'meanness laid bare.'
Households and costs: McGuinness highlighted stretching household budgets across energy, food and school costs, and warned of growing energy poverty and child poverty. He noted that over 750,000 households rely on home heating oil and that many are rationing heat or falling into arrears.
Government choices: The speech criticises government backbenchers and the Taoiseach's response in leaders' questions, saying the reaction was too little, too late and tone-deaf to families coping with cold snaps and heating needs.
Impact on rural and coastal communities: McGuinness emphasised the knock-on effects for fishermen, primary producers and local economies, arguing that rising fuel costs are hitting sectors that already face severe pressure.
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Thank you very much Cathaoirleach, and whereas government-supporting backbenchers may not wish to acknowledge it, workers and families are being absolutely hammered, and they're being hammered under the watch of this government. Petrol and diesel are rising sharply and the government response is too late, and it's nowhere near strong enough. Households are already stretched, and we see it not just in energy, but across the board. Food costs are up, school costs are up, the cost of getting to work during the school run, caring for family, just living in rural Ireland, all increasing. And this government has choices, and they chose not to deliver the maximum fuel cuts available. And what we saw last night is meanness laid bare. Too late, stingy, divorced from reality, and frankly, insulting. Over 750,000 households rely on home heating oil, and they're being left behind. The cost of a fill has surged to 1,600 to 1,800, depending what day it is and where in the country you live, and government's response has been tokenistic. A short fuel allowance extension that will be wiped out by rising prices, and a measly two cent reduction on heating oil. And the Taoiseach's response yesterday during leaders' questions was illustrative, when he joked that, ah well, it's okay, won't be May soon. I mean, people are in energy arrears, people are struggling to heat their homes, there's cold snaps now in the end of March, and people rely on home heating oil to have hot water. People are looking after older or unwell family members at home, so it's not good enough for government, and for the Taoiseach as head of government, to make jokes about these things. Energy poverty is growing, child poverty is growing, and people are rationing heat. And we've heard some of the stories, and those of us who engage with our constituents and constituency offices, who do clinics, and I know that that might be uncomfortable for some people on the opposite side to do that from time to time, but those of us who do engage and listen, hear those stories every day. I'm not talking about you, Minister, but there are many of your colleagues who don't operate clinics and don't operate offices. Government could have removed excise on home heating oil and delivered real relief, but once again they chose not to act. And this crisis is hitting those who produce in our economy. Fishermen, other primary producers as well, are facing soaring fuel costs without any meaningful support, and the impact spreads through coastal and rural communities. When coastal and rural enterprises are squeezed, their local economies suffer. And it's kicking a sector when it's already down, Minister.
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