Paul Murphy challenges government over soaring energy profits
Paul Murphy challenged the government over soaring profits by oil and electricity companies and urged a windfall tax to protect families from the cost-of-living crisis. He also pressed the Taoiseach on the Northern Ireland Protocol, calling for the Assembly and Executive to be convened and operational issues to be resolved.
Energy profits and windfall tax
Murphy highlighted that the world’s top oil and gas companies made almost $100 billion in first-quarter 2022 profits and said those profits had nearly doubled compared with last year. He accused the government of cynicism after the Taoiseach suggested calls for more action were akin to "Russian propaganda" and argued energy and electricity companies operating in the state - including BP and Shell - had increased prices while boosting profits. Citing a parliamentary answer, he said a 50% windfall tax could raise €300 million and questioned why Ireland could not adopt a similar measure to curb super-profits.
Northern Ireland and the Protocol
Murphy criticised the UK Government’s intention to introduce unilateral legislation to circumvent the Protocol, saying it undermined political stability in Northern Ireland and hindered efforts to resolve operational issues. He praised initiatives from the European side, including those put forward by Maroš Šefčovič in October, as a basis for negotiation and criticised Lord Frost’s approach for invoking the European Court of Justice. He urged inclusion of technocrats and business representatives in talks to reach practical solutions.
Business impact and sector feedback
Drawing on a meeting with the Brexit Business Working Group, Murphy said manufacturing, dairy and meat sectors in Northern Ireland were largely benefiting from the Protocol, with 65% of surveyed companies managing it well and about 8% reporting significant difficulties. He argued the remaining operational problems - mainly affecting consumer-facing goods - should be addressed to make the Protocol more workable for all businesses.
Assembly, executive and public expectation
Murphy urged the immediate reconvening of the Northern Ireland Assembly, appointment of the speaker and the establishment of the Executive, saying voters expect their representatives to be able to form a functioning parliament. He said the failure to convene the Assembly was causing public frustration and stressed the importance of democratic mandate being respected.
Healthcare and legacy concerns
He pledged to follow up on an individual case at Crumlin hospital and pressed for measures to reduce waiting times for children’s treatment. On legacy issues, Murphy said his position remained opposed to the British Government’s proposal, arguing it conflicted with the wishes of victims and their families.
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Thanks, Ken Curler. Earlier on, Taoiseach, you appeared to suggest that saying that the government should do more to protect families from the cost of living crisis was repeating Russian propaganda. I thought it was quite incredible cynicism, to be honest. It was strongly suggested that in saying that the government should do more, or saying the government... You can't mislead, that's not true. Well, people can go back and watch the transcript. It's a classic spin by you. It's a classic politicking by you. Go back. People can read the transcripts between yourself and Deputy Doherty. I ask you a question. Is it Russian propaganda to point out the fact that the top oil and gas companies in the world, together, made total profits of almost $100 billion in the first quarter of 2022? And how does that compare to last year? It is almost a doubling of profits. So, to point out the fact, as Richard has done, also in this country, that they are taking advantage of supply shortages, to jack up prices and to make record profits from the pain of ordinary people. So, the energy companies and electricity companies in this country, who are BP, Shell... They are not drilling here. Look at their profits. They have doubled, Taoiseach. They have doubled. We are running out of time. But the point is, as Richard has made the point, even the Tory government... The Tory government, energy, electricity... Every single electricity company in this country has increased their prices and increased their profits. The question is whether you would accept... We have an answer back to the PQ that a 50% windfall tax would raise €300 million. If the Tory government can do it, even with some horrific loopholes, why can't we have a windfall tax and these super profits? With Taoiseach, please. We have just over five minutes raised. The issue around the level of commitment in terms of Northern Ireland, in terms of... I appreciate your kind comments and in respect of the UK Prime Minister. I think both of us agree with the necessity to convene the Assembly and the Executive and to get it formed. That said, my view is that the decision of the UK Government in terms of the unilateral... the intention to introduce unilaterally legislation to circumvent the Protocol... is undermining political stability in Northern Ireland... and is not conducive to getting a resolution of issues around the operation of the Protocol. There are aspects of the operation of the Protocol that the European Union has signalled... that they are interested in discussing with the UK Government. One gets the sense that domestic considerations are uppermost in terms of the EU Government's... assessment of all of this. It is very difficult to get a clear landing zone from the UK Government... or indeed for the UK Government to involve itself intensively with the European Union to get an outcome. I believe these issues can be resolved, just like medicines was resolved last year. The initiatives that Mara Sefcovic put forward last October in my view formed the basis for a decent round of negotiations to follow. What we got from Lord Frost was an attempt to torpedo that by invoking the European Court of Justice... which was not a concern to Unionism at the time at all, if the truth be told. Unionism is concerned about movement and transitive goods from the UK to Northern Ireland. I think those issues are important and we believe they can be resolved. I met with the Brexit Business Working Group just for other deputies and to make the point... that they have done a lot of research. Manufacturing is doing very well in Northern Ireland... and the protocol benefits manufacturing. The protocol benefits the dairy industry. The protocol benefits the meat industry. In their most recent survey, 65% of companies were managing the protocol well. About 8% in the survey said they were experiencing significant difficulties, mainly consumer facing goods and so on like that. I think we do need to work on that 8% and make it more operable and I believe we can do that. We need to get the technocrats and the business people into the room as well because they know what works and what doesn't work... and what is practical and what is not practical. I picked that up from my meeting with the Brexit Business Working Group. Deputy Batchik, I think, raised similar issues to Deputy Richmond. I would follow up on the case of the little baby in terms of Crumlin and I would certainly follow that up with the Minister. We have to do everything we possibly can so that children should not have to wait that long for treatment and attention and intervention. You are correct in saying the bread and butter issues are what dominated the election in the North. And the people of Northern Ireland, I think, will be very frustrated at the failure to convene a parliament or an assembly. And I said when I visited the parties, it's a very basic truth. In the democratic world, when people vote through the ballot box and elect their representatives, they expect a parliament to be formed. It's natural in a democracy. And I think the voice of the people must be heard in Northern Ireland and the assembly should be convened forthwith. The speaker should be appointed and then subsequently the executive should be established. Deputy Deputy Osnovic, yes, the British Prime Minister, to be fair, is very well apprised of the need for the functioning executive and committed to that. On the legacy issue, we have had a long-standing disagreement with the British Government in respect of its initiative on that front. Minister Coveney in terms of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Council with the political parties in Northern Ireland have been arguing that. We do not accept the proposition that has been put forward by the British Government because, in our view, it's fundamentally against the wishes of the victims of families and would give many perpetrators of the most horrendous atrocities and crimes essentially an amnesty. I'm not just talking about those within state forces but paramilitary groupings and people who committed terrible atrocities could essentially avoid any accountability or prospects of persecution. In relation to a windfall tax, could I, in the first instance, say that deputies opposite – I mean, just make the point, I take strong exception to what Deputy Murphy said, because what I said this morning is that the Russian ambassador is blaming Western governments, and he is. And the Putin operation is on full operation propaganda-wise in terms of blaming Western governments for the 40-odd percent increase in energy costs that Deputy Boy Barrett referenced. Russia is responsible in terms of what's going on in the energy crisis. Fundamentally responsible. It's war and Ukraine needs to be called out again and again and again, and I note that the two deputies did not call it out in respect of the issue. Because it is, without question, a key factor. But I would make the point to you that on the windfall tax, I mean, the ESP is a state company, for example. We already get a dividend from the ESP. Other wind energy companies, we don't want to tax wind energy companies. Why? Because we want to move as fast as we possibly can to secure our independence and to secure energy security. All right, thank you. We are going to have to move on. I'm sorry. We are out of time. We are out of time. Other areas can be looked at in the fullest of time, but in Ireland we are not similar to the UK. We are out of time and we need to move to question 11. We don't have too many native fossil fuel companies in this country, and when you know it. But in far, I don't believe we should tax Borden Amona and I don't believe we should tax the ESP, as you have advocated. Question 11, please. We get a dividend every year and that makes sense. Consulting your supplies and stability. We are not predictable.
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