Since the start of this fuel crisis, and even long before that, the Government has been totally out of touch with the reality that households are facing with rising costs. It has failed to support them. Last week, we saw farmers, contractors and hauliers - ordinary men and women - assemble to peacefully demonstrate their desperation with the rising cost of fuel. They were people who did not want to be out protesting. Many had never protested before, but they felt they had no choice. What was the reaction from Government? It decided to enflame tensions, it refused to talk or engage and it even threatened to send in the Army to deal with peaceful protests. It brought representatives from Galway up to Dublin for talks and then locked them out of the meeting. Those people were told their names were not on the list. It was schoolyard stuff. Every time the Taoiseach and Ministers spoke with disrespect toward ordinary people, the protests grew in size. That is what I experienced in Galway last week. The question I was constantly asked was how the Government could be so clueless and out of touch with those who told it they cannot keep their businesses going or cannot afford to keep their homes heated. The Government had the chance to reflect on this failure during yesterday’s confidence motion. All we saw, however, was the pure arrogance of the Government when it comes to this crisis. It still does not get it and still is not listening. Those in government stood up in the Chamber yesterday to pat themselves on the back, but the reality here is that they are still continuing with half measures. They had the opportunity to cut the excise duty on home heating oil, but they did not do so. This means that the more than 700,000 households which rely on home heating oil across the State will continue to receive no support, even though the price has doubled. There were half measures in respect of petrol, diesel and green diesel, and carbon tax increases have been locked in until 2030. Has the Government learned absolutely nothing from this? It is clear that it is completely out of touch with the lived reality that households are facing right now. It is totally incompetent when it comes to facing these challenges. The best thing this Government can do is to follow the lead of Deputy Michael Healy-Rae and stand down. It has lost the confidence of the public.

Sentiment score: -0.09