Dara Calleary: Standing With Families Amid Energy Shock
Dara Calleary addresses the pressures facing families, small businesses and communities and outlines recent government measures, including changes to the fuel allowance. He explains why interventions are necessary but limited, and calls for an honest conversation about the scale of the energy shock.
Key measures and numbers: In his address Dara Calleary details actions already taken - the fuel allowance now reaches 470,000 people, working families receive the fuel allowance for the first time, and the allowance has been increased by four weeks this year. He also notes support provided to farmers, contractors and transport companies.
Limits of support and honesty: Calleary stresses that while interventions are important and necessary, government cannot shield everyone from every future challenge. He warns this is the biggest energy shock, not only in supply but cost, in over 50 years and that conversations with the public must be candid about that reality.
Message of confidence and solidarity: He closes by expressing confidence in government, in the country and in the people, urging that leaders stand with citizens, hear their concerns and continue working together to get through the challenges ahead.
Key measures and numbers: In his address Dara Calleary details actions already taken - the fuel allowance now reaches 470,000 people, working families receive the fuel allowance for the first time, and the allowance has been increased by four weeks this year. He also notes support provided to farmers, contractors and transport companies.
Limits of support and honesty: Calleary stresses that while interventions are important and necessary, government cannot shield everyone from every future challenge. He warns this is the biggest energy shock, not only in supply but cost, in over 50 years and that conversations with the public must be candid about that reality.
Message of confidence and solidarity: He closes by expressing confidence in government, in the country and in the people, urging that leaders stand with citizens, hear their concerns and continue working together to get through the challenges ahead.
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Transcript
Go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle. Ceann Comhairle, we very much acknowledge the pressures that people, small businesses and many communities are under at the moment. Families are working hard, they're doing everything right, but they continue to experience huge uncertainty and huge challenge. We hear that and we have acted, not just in the package this week and a number of weeks ago, but also in the budget. In the fuel allowance, 470,000 people now receive fuel allowance. For the first time, working families receive the fuel allowance and we've increased it by four weeks this year. We also have supported farmers, supported contractors, supported transport companies against the worst of the excesses. We also have to be honest, say that we cannot support them through every challenge that will face them. Interventions are important and necessary, but we cannot be false with people and tell them that we can get them through every challenge that we'll face. I not just have confidence in this government, more importantly I have confidence in our country and I have confidence in the people of the country. We have faced challenges before. We have faced a succession of challenges over the last 10 years in particular that have put enormous pressure on people's incomes, on people's businesses. But we will continue to work with them to get through those challenges. I have confidence not just in this country, but I have confidence in the people of this country. And it's important to me, I think, that we stand together with the people of this country to face this challenge. It's important that we stand with people and that we support them. It's important that we hear them. But in hearing them we have to be honest about the challenges that are out. The biggest energy shock, not just supply-wise, but cost-wise in over 50 years. And that conversation has to be honest. Yes, it is important that we support people and it's important that we stand with them, but we have to be honest as well.