The crisis in the cost of living is out of control. Every day in this Chamber, the Opposition comes to the Government with solutions to the issues that people are facing every single day. People are having to choose between lighting and heating and are paying through the nose for insurance, toll costs and petrol and diesel. The Minister of State knows these issues are facing people. Tá a fhios aige faoi na fadhbanna atá acu. He knows the people are at the pin of their collar with inflation that the Government has failed to get under control. Sinn Féin has proposed ideas that would at least start to give people some respite from a never-ending slew of rip-offs in grocery, housing and car costs. Our motion tonight is one of the many things that the Government could do right now to end this rip-off. The Minister of State has said that there are factors involved in the increase in toll fares that are out of his hands but this is not the case. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has the power to stop this increase in toll prices. He could stop it tomorrow if he wanted to, but he does not want to and he does not stop it. Much like everything else with this Government, it is not a lack of ability but a lack of political will that has people facing this cost-of-living crisis. An Teachta Pearse Doherty has repeatedly told the Government how it could properly deal with the rip-off premiums that insurance companies are charging. We know that they are blaming false and exaggerated claims as a reason for hiking up their premiums. We know it is actually all about them protecting their massive profits. Just the other day, I was talking to a constituent, David from Celbridge, who had got in touch with me. He does not want me to mention his surname because he is worried his insurance will double again. He is aged 47 and his premium has gone up from €450 to €850 in the space of two years. He has had no accidents, he said, no claims, no points received in that time, yet he is having to face that kind of hike. We cannot afford to continue without any action from the Government. I call on the Minister of State to act now. I thank An Teachta Daly for his motion. The Minister of State should support it, stop these proposed toll increases and stand up to the insurance companies to ensure fair and stable car insurance costs and address the disproportionate profits they are making.

Sentiment score: -0.08

They are trying to work out if half of Fianna Fáil are clapping for Micheál Martin or if it is all of them. It is nonsense that is going on here.

Sentiment score: -0.20