Ruairí Ó Murchú: Government Failed People on Energy and Protests
Ruairí Ó Murchú addresses the Dáil, confronting the government over its handling of recent protests and the energy crisis. He argues ministers have failed to listen to farmers, contractors, bus operators, carers and thousands in energy arrears, and demands concrete action on diesel, petrol and home heating oil.
Key points: Ó Murchú set out why protesters from agriculture, transport and frontline care felt forced to take to the streets and described the response from government as disrespect and denigration. He referenced the ministerial resignation and warned that surviving a vote does not absolve ministers from accountability.
Who is affected: The speech highlights farmers, agricultural contractors, the bus and coach industry, carers and community nurses, and the 320,000 people in energy arrears cited in the Dáil. Ó Murchú said many who protested had never protested before and that their actions were a last resort.
Consequences and demand for action: Ó Murchú accused the government of not listening and of failing to act in real terms, calling deliveries of diesel, petrol and home heating oil 'too little, too late.' He pressed for real government that delivers for people and warned ministers they face future accountability from their electorates.
Key points: Ó Murchú set out why protesters from agriculture, transport and frontline care felt forced to take to the streets and described the response from government as disrespect and denigration. He referenced the ministerial resignation and warned that surviving a vote does not absolve ministers from accountability.
Who is affected: The speech highlights farmers, agricultural contractors, the bus and coach industry, carers and community nurses, and the 320,000 people in energy arrears cited in the Dáil. Ó Murchú said many who protested had never protested before and that their actions were a last resort.
Consequences and demand for action: Ó Murchú accused the government of not listening and of failing to act in real terms, calling deliveries of diesel, petrol and home heating oil 'too little, too late.' He pressed for real government that delivers for people and warned ministers they face future accountability from their electorates.
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Transcript
Go raibh maith agat leas Caann Comhairle. The fact is Minister you did survive today but it wasn't down to any conversation that anybody had out there with people who are actually at the pin of their collar like yeah it's been said by many but but I'm gonna repeat it when you were out at the protests with people who you never saw in a protest before who didn't want to be anywhere next to near a protest and you are talking about agricultural contractors, you are talking about farmers, you're talking about those involved in the bus and coach industry and as Joanna Byrne said we have some of them here today and yes there is some confusion even and displeasure in relation to those that have the bus there and the school bus transport rebate schemes but these these people they've never got anything they'll tell you but the whole period during COVID when they weren't looked after in any way shape or form so what we've had is we've had nothing but disrespect from government absolute denigration of those who as a last resort went out to put pressure on and we've seen the impact of the pressure obviously we have had a ministerial resignation we would like to think that we may see more into the future as people are held accountable by their own electorate and by the people that they know because what we've had to date is a government that has not listened that has not listened to the severe severe pressure that people are under and look minister you're no different than me you're a constituency operator you've seen you've had people come into your office carers and those working as community nurses who have long before this period arrived who said the serious serious pressure that they were under that they weren't sure how they could make it through how the work that they were doing that absolutely necessary work was going to wash its own face because it wasn't we had 320,000 people who weren't able to pay the bills in arrears in energy arrears and then we had this and as Deputy Kennedy says as Deputy Kenny says not the first time I got that wrong and as Deputy Kenny says we don't hold government responsible for the madness of genocidal Israel and for Donald Trump but we do hold the government responsible for not listening for not taking action and for utter ineptitude in putting fuel on the fire in relation to the protests and what was going on during the week and people are talking about the people that were discommoded and they were and it could have been ended by yourselves so much easier so much easier what we need to see though is real action because you survived today but you will not survive into the future because we need to see real government that delivers for people because what we've seen to date is failure, failure to listen and failure to act in real terms. Diesel, petrol, home heating oil, not enough has been delivered. Too little, too late.