Mattie McGrath Slams Government 'Folly' Over Energy Costs
Mattie McGrath criticised the government's energy and climate measures, arguing they punish lower-income households and leave people unable to heat their homes. He rejected climate denial but called the proposed measures "folly" and urged targeting data centres and big business instead.
Opposition to the measures
He said he and nine others opposed the proposals in the chamber, noting that ten deputies had voted against and rejecting what he described as clandestine lectures from the chair.
Impact on households
He warned ordinary people cannot afford to heat their homes, cannot even "turn on their blanket" if they can afford one, and said the policies are punitive on lower incomes and the less well-off.
Barriers to home generation
He criticised failures to allow household renewable installations access to the grid, saying people who put up solar panels or home wind turbines cannot connect and are blocked despite making efforts to reduce reliance on traditional heating.
Targets and priorities
He urged the government to target large energy users such as data centres and big business rather than households, and accused the government of blaming external factors like the Ukraine war while making the poor shoulder price increases.
Tone and warning
McGrath dismissed further measures as "folly", invoked fears used during COVID to criticise scare tactics, and warned of a "rude awakening" if people were frightened into accepting new policies.
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You told me it was your first time, I wish you well, but we won't take any kind of candlestine lectures like that before we start. That's not a lesson on the chairing if you want to take in. Look, we're opposed to this situation here, Minister. We opposed it. Ten people, ten deputies opposed it here, as Deputy Muffet said earlier. And we're regarded as lag-ass and black-ass and backward and gone being more, whatever else. And what have we seen since? Since this government came into power and since they blamed the Ukraine war, they can blame anything they like. But this was coming. Last October, we were on to debate on these issues here. And anyone that's in business, I know that's in business, and the ordinary people can't heat their homes. They can't turn on their blanket if they can afford one. You're perishing the people and it's punitive on the lower incomes and less well-off. Meanwhile, the Black Arden goes on. People put up solar panels, they can't get onto the grid. People put up a wind turbine to their house, they can't get onto the grid. People that make all kinds of efforts, to do different kind of heating systems, and want to make an effort. No. So the lag-ass and the black-ass are your government and successive administrations, who are blaggading the people. And you think now, all of a sudden, you frighten the people into accepting anything. This isn't going to happen. Just because you frighten the life of the people with COVID, you think you frighten them now with the latest screen policies. I can tell you you have a rude awakening coming. We are not climate change denial, but we know that people need to live as well as everything else. Why don't you hit the data centres? Why don't you hit the big business? Our government now, our government now, and you, Minister Pratham, I'm shocked, have become global servers now. High-mass, the global masses are serving all those people. The ESP, making the rich house proper, more the gas, the whole atom, and pile on the increases on the people. And to think then, and with the permission of the Chair, in case you lectured to me again, to think you might come back here after a two-week break and introduce another cabin job is folly. Utter folly. And I don't mind saying it here tonight. That's what it is, folly. And keep on with your folly, and you know what'll get to you. I won't mention any failure or anything like that. People might get insulted. But folly folly and Donnie Mixtures are what you are now. Thank you.
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