Conor D McGuinness confronts fuel crisis: 10c isn't enough
Conor D McGuinness questions the Taoiseach over the government's response to rising fuel costs after attending a Dungarvan protest. He highlights the human cost: older people rationing heat, families forced to choose between fuel and food, disabled people missing appointments, and students borrowing to travel.
Conor D McGuinness reports from a protest in Dungarvan attended by hauliers, farmers, fishermen, agri-contractors and local residents. He details widespread hardship caused by fuel price increases and challenges the government to explain why recent measures - including a 10 cent cut and exclusions for home heating oil - are inadequate.
McGuinness describes older people rationing heat, families juggling fuel against household bills, disabled people struggling to access care, and students and apprentices borrowing just to get to training. He presses the Taoiseach for concrete action to protect vulnerable households as the cost-of-living and fuel crisis deepens.
The Taoiseach cited larger reductions in diesel and petrol when answering, and pointed to budget measures aimed at cushioning low-income groups. McGuinness counters that the announced relief is not reaching those most in need and argues for a more meaningful, targeted package that includes home heating support.
McGuinness says the forthcoming budget must prioritise an embedded cost-of-living response rather than one-off measures. His intervention frames the fuel crisis as a cross-sector challenge affecting rural and urban communities, and raises questions about whether current government measures are sufficient.
What happened at Dungarvan
Conor D McGuinness reports from a protest in Dungarvan attended by hauliers, farmers, fishermen, agri-contractors and local residents. He details widespread hardship caused by fuel price increases and challenges the government to explain why recent measures - including a 10 cent cut and exclusions for home heating oil - are inadequate.
Who is affected and why it matters
McGuinness describes older people rationing heat, families juggling fuel against household bills, disabled people struggling to access care, and students and apprentices borrowing just to get to training. He presses the Taoiseach for concrete action to protect vulnerable households as the cost-of-living and fuel crisis deepens.
Government response and political stakes
The Taoiseach cited larger reductions in diesel and petrol when answering, and pointed to budget measures aimed at cushioning low-income groups. McGuinness counters that the announced relief is not reaching those most in need and argues for a more meaningful, targeted package that includes home heating support.
Implications for policy and public debate
McGuinness says the forthcoming budget must prioritise an embedded cost-of-living response rather than one-off measures. His intervention frames the fuel crisis as a cross-sector challenge affecting rural and urban communities, and raises questions about whether current government measures are sufficient.
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Transcript
Taoiseach, I attended a protest in Dungarvan on Sunday, one of many that took place across the station. There were hauliers and farmers, fishermen and other rural contractors, agri-contractors present, but there were also people from other walks of life there protesting against the fuel cost increases and the need for action. There were older people who were rationing heat, there were families who were making that invidious choice between putting fuel in the car, paying off some of the electricity bill arrears or feeding the elder people, the adults in the family. There were disabled people who are really struggling at the moment, struggling to get to appointments, struggling to keep their homes warm, and there were students and apprentices who tell me that they're borrowing money to put fuel in the car to get to their training centres or to get to college. What exactly is the government going to do for those people? Because the 10 cent that was announced yesterday is not anywhere near enough, and the fact that home heating oil has been left out of the package in any meaningful way is nowhere near enough, Taoiseach. We need action to look after all sections of society who are really suffering and hurting because of the fuel cost crisis at the moment. Thank you, Deputy. Taoiseach, please. First of all, it's 32 cents in diesel that the government has reduced prices by, and 27 in petrol. And if you take the fuel package scheme along with the green diesel reduction, you're up to 20 plus. No, but you described it as 10, it's 32. So if we get a factual sort of analysis, that's fine. But if we didn't do it, petrol prices would be 32 cents higher now. You voted against it. You voted against it twice now, reductions. And I think the key is that we have to provide measures. And we did in the budget to try and cushion, first of all, low income groups, which we felt was to target prices there. The child support payments and so on were significantly increased. And we will in the forthcoming budget have a very strong focus on cost of living. We'll try and do it in an embedded way, not just once off. But we will examine all options. Like on third level, for example, you mentioned third level colleges. Thank you, Deputy. Aisling Dempsey. Thank you Taoiseach. Time is up. Deputy McGuinness, your time is up.