Danny Healy-Rae warns on rising energy costs and taxes
Danny Healy-Rae addresses the rising cost of energy in the Dáil and appeals to the Minister to acknowledge the growing hardship. He highlights surging electricity and fuel prices, gaps in relief measures, and calls for immediate and extended support for households and farmers.
Danny Healy-Rae begins by saying many people are in a desperate state and urges the Minister to act. He cites over 300,000 people affected by energy price increases, mounting electricity bills and the recent 8% rise reported by Electric Ireland.
He describes how illness payments, disability payments and pensioners struggle to keep their homes warm, and how many cannot afford heating oil or electricity. He notes that the fuel allowance extension left many people without support and that fuel and heating costs remain a growing burden.
He criticises temporary fuel reductions and asks for tax relief on fuel above a euro a litre, suggesting that carbon tax, VAT and other levies should not apply in such circumstances. He also questions what will happen to postponed carbon tax increases in October and urges relief packages to remain in place at least until the end of September.
Recalling local protests in Killarney, including older people and public service workers, he warns against forgetting those who were driven to protest. He also raises concerns about taxpayer value, citing recent payments to Ukraine and asking the government to prioritise support for Irish households.
Danny Healy-Rae concludes with a plea not to leave people behind and to ensure support packages are extended so families, farmers and contractors can manage until the next sitting of the Dáil.
Immediate appeal: urgent hardship
Danny Healy-Rae begins by saying many people are in a desperate state and urges the Minister to act. He cites over 300,000 people affected by energy price increases, mounting electricity bills and the recent 8% rise reported by Electric Ireland.
Household costs and heating pressures
He describes how illness payments, disability payments and pensioners struggle to keep their homes warm, and how many cannot afford heating oil or electricity. He notes that the fuel allowance extension left many people without support and that fuel and heating costs remain a growing burden.
Fuel policy and taxation concerns
He criticises temporary fuel reductions and asks for tax relief on fuel above a euro a litre, suggesting that carbon tax, VAT and other levies should not apply in such circumstances. He also questions what will happen to postponed carbon tax increases in October and urges relief packages to remain in place at least until the end of September.
Public reaction and wider spending
Recalling local protests in Killarney, including older people and public service workers, he warns against forgetting those who were driven to protest. He also raises concerns about taxpayer value, citing recent payments to Ukraine and asking the government to prioritise support for Irish households.
Closing appeal
Danny Healy-Rae concludes with a plea not to leave people behind and to ensure support packages are extended so families, farmers and contractors can manage until the next sitting of the Dáil.
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Transcript
Sean Comhairle, many people are in a desperate state and I am appealing to the Minister to acknowledge that. While I welcome these energy swaps which are badly needed, I do think that a lot more needs to be done. With over 300,000 people in energy areas, there is no question as to the impact the increase in energy costs is having on people. Something really needs to be done in relation to the ever-increasing cost of electricity. Since Board in the Morning closed, the cost of electricity has gone up each and every day. Electric Ireland are saying they are putting it up now 8% again. Where is it going to stop? Is there any regulation? Many working people are finding it difficult to make ends meet and those people at home are there on illness payments. Disability and pensioners need to have a warm home and it's quite cold for this time of the year. Many people have their foils lighting doors who are looking to have turf. But many people can't afford heating because of the cost of electricity and the cost of the heating oil. And nothing was done for the people who need heating oil. There was nothing done except the fuel allowance was extended. But many people are not on fuel allowance and are not entitled to get it. Many farmers and farm contractors are in severe financial pressure to manage day-to-day costs of fuel and to carry out their work. And it's just shameful that these reductions in fuel are only temporary. And I'm worrying, Minister, the war isn't over and we'll go on holidays here. The dollar closed down on the 15th of July and we won't be back until the 15th of September. I'm worrying about people in that space of time. And is there any preparation going to be made to extend the relief packages that are in place? And I'm asking to go back to what I asked you in the first place on the 24th of March when you forgot about the people on green diesel and heating oil. When green diesel went up 80 cents, you offered them 3 cents. But I'm asking, when green diesel is at a euro a litre, anything above that, you shouldn't be claiming any taxes, carbon tax or VAT or anything. And share less with it. The same at the pumps. Give it back to the people at the pumps. Take the taxes that he was getting up until the emergency happened and give back the rest of it to the people that are entitled to get it. The carbon tax increase has been postponed. But what's going to happen in October? Are you going to carry on with it? Again, I say to you, when diesel and petrol were around 120 a litre, and he was trying to discourage people from using both, you see that people can manage without it. They can't afford electric cars. They won't go far enough. And after 120 a litre, when he put up the carbon tax that time, surely there's no case for being made when it goes up to 180 a litre, that he feels he must get carbon tax up from then as well. That's wrong. And indeed, many people haven't qualified for these packages. I want to remind you of that. Many people, I'm not entitled to the rebate system that he replaced. And packages should last at least until the end of September, until we're back here again, and make sure that people can live in between. I see people protesting on the bypass in Killarney, and I was hurt at that particular time, because I see friends there that wouldn't talk to me. That was the worst part of it all. And maybe you think those people have forgotten what caused that. Maybe you're forgetting. But I can remind you, there was a 94-year-old woman, a 94-year-old woman with her flag in the bypass in Killarney. Why was she out? Why were the nurses giving out? Why were the teachers giving out? Why were they all protesting? It wasn't just farmers or contractors. Many people were feeling the pinch, and they felt they couldn't pay their people, their children, while they were going to work, and pay for the fuel to go to work, and pay for everything else. I'm asking not to leave those people behind if things are still as bad on the 31st of July, because that won't be long coming. And I'm also very concerned about the value that the taxpayers are getting, and when we see the pressure that they're under each and every day, and the amount of taxes that they're paying, and then to see that we have no burden on the world in giving 40 million in the middle of the crisis to Ukraine, on top of all the other money that he gave them. 1.8 or 1.9 billion of a loan we borrowed for Ukraine. We didn't cause the border at all, Minister. No Irish person had nothing to do with it. And do you think that there's faith to Lord the people of Ireland with that kind of a bill? On top of the 125 million that he gave Mr. Zelensky when he was here, he gave it to him in his back pocket going home, there's a place called Stubb. And see after your own people first, and think of your own people. Because they'll think of you when you come to the door, and they'll remember what he put them through in March and April, and they won't forget you. And it is time for it. And do not leave the people behind without ensuring that they have packages to bind them going forward.