Thomas Gould Slams Government Over Hidden Fuel Hikes
Thomas Gould warns of planned petrol and diesel price rises on 1 September and the impact on families already struggling with energy and food costs. Speaking about West Cork, he accuses those in power of sneaking increases while they are on holiday and says many households cannot afford even a small family break this year.
Thomas Gould outlines the practical reality for people in West Cork: if you do not drive a car or van you cannot reliably get to work, school, college or hospital because public transport is not an option for many. He stresses that transport costs directly affect daily life and access to services.
Gould criticises the timing and secrecy of the proposed fuel increases, accusing decision-makers of planning to raise petrol and diesel on the 1st of September while they are away. He challenges them to stand over their decisions rather than 'sneak it in' on the public.
Highlighting the strain on working families, Gould points to rising energy bills, costly food and the added expense of childcare and summer camps. He cites the League of Credit Unions' finding that one in five families will not be able to afford a holiday as evidence of growing hardship.
Gould closes by directly blaming those in power for abandoning people who are already struggling. He frames the fuel and energy debate as a test of accountability: will decision-makers admit their choices and face the consequences, or will they hide while families bear the cost?
Transport and access
Thomas Gould outlines the practical reality for people in West Cork: if you do not drive a car or van you cannot reliably get to work, school, college or hospital because public transport is not an option for many. He stresses that transport costs directly affect daily life and access to services.
Timing and responsibility
Gould criticises the timing and secrecy of the proposed fuel increases, accusing decision-makers of planning to raise petrol and diesel on the 1st of September while they are away. He challenges them to stand over their decisions rather than 'sneak it in' on the public.
Cost of living and family strain
Highlighting the strain on working families, Gould points to rising energy bills, costly food and the added expense of childcare and summer camps. He cites the League of Credit Unions' finding that one in five families will not be able to afford a holiday as evidence of growing hardship.
Direct challenge to government
Gould closes by directly blaming those in power for abandoning people who are already struggling. He frames the fuel and energy debate as a test of accountability: will decision-makers admit their choices and face the consequences, or will they hide while families bear the cost?
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Transcript
I had a speech written here. People are struggling. Sometimes I ask myself, do you actually have any idea of what's happening? I tell you now, you're from West Cork, right? If you don't drive a car or a van in West Cork, how do you get to work? How do you get to school? How do you get to college? How do you get to hospitals? Because I tell you now, you can't depend on public transport, right? People, like you're talking about now, the sneaky way you're doing it. You're going to put up diesel and petrol while you're on holidays. Stand up and be a man. If you're going to put it up, put it up, right? But come in here and do it. Do it, do it, while they're out sunning themselves, right? You're going to sneak it in. Why won't you accept your decisions? Why won't you stand over your decisions? Are you afraid of it? The 1st of September, you're going to put up petrol and diesel. You won't even be here. You won't even be able to stand over your decisions. I think people know at the moment, for parents who have children who are home from school, a lot of them can't afford their summer camps, the cost of extra food. People are struggling when they go to the shop. Why are they going to feed their kids, right? This is the reality of families. This is the reality of already working people. The League of Credit Unions have come out and said one in five families won't be able to afford a holiday. How is it right that you can walk all year, you can do everything right and you can't afford a trip? We're not talking to Dubai, no, we're not talking to America. A small family holiday, one in five people can't afford it. Minister, people can't afford the energy, people can't afford diesel, petrol, they're struggling to put food on the table. And what are you doing? Because I don't know what you're doing. Because you're letting the people down.