First of all, I thank Deputy Gannon for all of his work on this motion. No matter how hard people work, it is becoming more and more difficult to stay afloat. People are holding their breath before opening their energy bills. Small businesses are staring at their accounts wondering how much longer they can keep going, and workers who rely on diesel to do their jobs are trying to figure out how they can absorb another price shock. That deep crushing anxiety is what brought people onto the streets. What the protests alongside the war in Iran have made clear is just how vulnerable we are to sudden and dramatic price spikes because we have not built the energy resilience we need at home. Successive Governments have failed to invest in renewable energy and to protect from exactly this kind of crisis. Ireland should be a leader in climate action. We have the resources to build an energy system that is cleaner, cheaper and more secure. Take solar energy. There are close to a million homes in this country suitable for solar panels, yet only a fraction have them installed. Why? For too many people, it is still too expensive. That is why the Social Democrats have put forward the plan Solar for All. It would double grants, expand access and make solar a real option for ordinary households, not just those who can afford large upfront costs. It would cut bills by hundreds of euro each year and give people real protection from future energy shocks. I refer to real solutions that, if implemented, could meaningfully help people. That is what we need and what climate action should look like. It should be practical, fair and focused on improving people's lives. This transition must bring everyone with us. The pressure being placed on farmers right now is unbelievable. The nature of the job means that the weight on their shoulders is immense. There is responsibility for livestock and a job that never lets up, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alongside that, there is often loneliness, isolation and a mental health crisis that we do not talk about nearly enough. When I meet representatives of Macra na Feirme, one of the core issues they raise with me is generational renewal, which is hardly surprising if you imagine being a young person who is thinking right now about taking over the family farm. Imagine how they have felt for the past week, seeing the crushing effect rising costs have had on farmers, their own families and their loved ones, seeing the toll that they are taking on people's mental health and hearing the Government patronise and dismiss people who have been driven to the brink. People are not protesting because they want to; they are protesting because they feel they have no choice. The protests are a symptom of a larger problem. The protesters deserve to be listened to and deserve a Government that is finally willing to act.

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