Helen McEntee: Government Acts on Fuel Crisis Amid Gulf Tensions
Helen McEntee supports today's motion of confidence and sets out the government's response to escalating instability in the Gulf, including the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz. She explains the economic impact at home and why the government has agreed emergency financial packages to help households and businesses.
What she said: Helen McEntee told the Dail that Ireland is living through a period of profound global instability and urged urgent de-escalation and sustained diplomatic engagement. She said the government is engaging with counterparts across the Gulf, the Middle East, EU partners, the US and with ambassadors on the ground to reduce tensions.
Government response: McEntee recapped the government’s early intervention with an initial 250 million euro package and set out that a further 525 million euro package was agreed this week. She framed these measures as direct responses to concerns raised by hauliers, farmers, bus operators and other communities hardest hit by rising fuel costs.
Impact at home: McEntee highlighted how the partial closure and blockading of the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through global markets and is directly affecting families and businesses in Ireland - at the pumps and in household bills. She warned that actions that prevent fuel reaching communities risk shortages and place further strain on supply chains.
Diplomacy and next steps: The minister emphasised ongoing engagement and the need to protect peaceful protest while condemning actions that endanger supply. She challenged the opposition to back the new package and insisted the government will continue to mitigate impacts, protect jobs, and support communities across the country.
What she said: Helen McEntee told the Dail that Ireland is living through a period of profound global instability and urged urgent de-escalation and sustained diplomatic engagement. She said the government is engaging with counterparts across the Gulf, the Middle East, EU partners, the US and with ambassadors on the ground to reduce tensions.
Government response: McEntee recapped the government’s early intervention with an initial 250 million euro package and set out that a further 525 million euro package was agreed this week. She framed these measures as direct responses to concerns raised by hauliers, farmers, bus operators and other communities hardest hit by rising fuel costs.
Impact at home: McEntee highlighted how the partial closure and blockading of the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through global markets and is directly affecting families and businesses in Ireland - at the pumps and in household bills. She warned that actions that prevent fuel reaching communities risk shortages and place further strain on supply chains.
Diplomacy and next steps: The minister emphasised ongoing engagement and the need to protect peaceful protest while condemning actions that endanger supply. She challenged the opposition to back the new package and insisted the government will continue to mitigate impacts, protect jobs, and support communities across the country.
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Transcript
I join with colleagues in supporting this motion of confidence in the government today. We are living through a period of profound global instability. Across the Gulf we're seeing not only disruption to energy supply and vital shipping routes, but we are witnessing the further appalling and unacceptable loss of life, the human cost of which cannot be overlooked, and so it is essential that we progress and engage with colleagues to urgently de-escalate and sustain our diplomatic engagement, and so I will continue with government to engage with colleagues and counterparts across the Gulf, the Middle East, with our ambassadors on the ground, with our colleagues in the EU, and of course with our counterparts in the US. The partial closure and blockading of the Strait of Hormuz has had immediate and far-reaching consequences, sending shockwaves through global markets and, as we all know, it is directly impacting families and businesses here in Ireland. We can see it at the pumps, we see it in our bills, we are seeing it in the cost of living that people are facing every day, and we are all in government listening to the concerns of people to our constituents and beyond. Despite the uncertainty, despite the global uncertainty, this government has acted and we are among the first governments to respond in recent weeks, responding at a greater level than many other countries. We've intervened early with an initial package of 250 million euro, making it clear at the time that we would continue to engage with those most impacted, but also recognising the evolving nature of this crisis, including the possibility that fuel costs might ease in the event of a ceasefire. This has not been the case and so engagement has continued. Opposition does not have a monopoly on engagement. We've all spoken to those in our constituents, to whorliers, to farmers, to bus operators, to farm contractors. We've engaged over the last number of weeks, we've engaged with those hardest hit by the increase in fuel costs, but we're also recognising that everybody is being hit by this global crisis. That's why a further package of 525 million euro was agreed at government this week. This is a direct response to the engagement and the concerns raised with all of us. I wonder will opposition support this package or will they reject it in the way they did the previous 250 million euro? Ken Corley, a peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy. It must always be respected and indeed we must all protect it. However, preventing fuel from reaching communities during a fuel crisis at a time when supply chains are under pressure. These actions, they only risk shortages and they place further strain on communities. Strains and pressures that we are experiencing again to stress driven, mainly by global events, by conflict, by instability and by supply chain disruption far beyond our shores. What we can do as a government and what we are doing is to mitigate those impacts and we will continue to support people in whatever way that we can as a government to protect jobs, to protect livelihoods and to support our communities the length and breadth of time.