I stood with the people yesterday, and I voted no confidence in the Government. People protesting over fuel prices appreciate that the Irish Government is not responsible for the international crisis. People were protesting because when a crisis occurs, they expect their Government to have their backs. Twice now, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, alongside the so-called Independents, have made an absolute hames of it, and the country is so disappointed in them. They could have cut diesel by the maximum amount possible, bu…

You lost the people.

The Government underfunds them.

But the Government underfunds them.

No.

The League of Ireland and the GAA have undeniably done tremendous work over recent years. This is clearly borne out by attendance figures, especially for the League of Ireland, which saw over 1.1 million people attend games. There has been more than an 11.7% rise in the number of spectators year on year. Soccer and GAA clubs have innovated in how they raise funds and how they support their local communities in all sorts of ways. I wholeheartedly commend everybody involved in football clubs. They deserve credit, esp…

Threats do not work.

Bus transport.

That never happened.

As I said earlier this week, people understand that the Government is not responsible for the international energy crisis that has emerged. What people hold the Government responsible for in the first instance is the framework it had in place in advance of the crisis. In the second instance, they hold it responsible for its response. I contend that said response has been delayed, minimal and not of sufficient substance to meaningfully protect, as best we can, the people in our communities who need support. Ordinary…

Sinn Féin voted against Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil’s tax reduction-----

-----because it did not do enough. The Minister of State knows it did not do enough. He is fooling nobody; not the families, farmers or haulage workers. Everybody knows.

The limited resources the Government did introduce via the National Oil Reserves Agency will see the cost of home heating oil reduced by only two cents per litre. Is that a joke? This was wholly inadequate in terms of households reliant on home heating oil in and of itself, but it will also be negatively affected by the Government’s planned increase in carbon tax on 1 May. Why in the name of God does the Minister of State think it is a good idea to increase the cost of petrol, diesel and home heating oil in the mid…

Farmers have not seen it.

I asked the Committee of Public Accounts. Farmers have not seen it.

It was not used for farmers. It was put into the central pot.

Look after the most vulnerable.

Cover the data centres.

Did the Government do the 22 cent reduction then?

Did the Government do the 22 cent reduction?