Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an leasú. Labhróidh mé ar an leasú. Ní féidir liom glacadh leis. Ba chóir don Teachta a bheith cinnte go bhfuil muidne ar an gcoiste inacmhainneachta ag obair ar na tacaíochtaí is féidir linn a thabhairt isteach go luath. Tá an obair sin á déanamh againn anois. Rinne an coiste a lán rudaí roimh cháinaisnéis 2026. Tá rudaí isteach sa dlí anois mar gheall ar an obair sin. Ní féidir liom glacadh leis an leasú sin. I cannot accept the amendment. I assure the Deputy that the national energy affordability task force will keep this matter under review. The committee meets on a regular basis. I chaired it last week and it is meeting again tomorrow. The subcommittee the Deputy referred to is simply advisory. It is specifically focused on the Middle Eastern supply and the breakdown of energy supply. On the specific matter regarding the NORA levy, there is a 2 cent reduction, which is a temporary measure to help to affray costs, plus the excise duty reduction and we are also backdating the diesel rebate scheme for the haulage sector until 1 January. This will be of assistance. I thank the Irish Road Haulage Association for its constructive engagement with us on this. All of the measures we have brought forward are targeted and temporary. We will keep them under active review. Of that, the Deputy can be absolutely assured. While the suggestion from Teachta Daly is a good one, I assure him that the committee and I will keep this matter under regular review. I am conscious that the levy we are now removing will mean there will be less funds going into NORA. That is a short-term measure to try to affray cost increases. Mar a dúirt mé, ní féidir liom glacadh leis an leasú sin.

Sentiment score: 0.05

That is a serious charge. The Deputy should withdraw it.

Sentiment score: -0.04

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as ucht an leasaithe. Labhróidh mé i gcomhthéacs an leasaithe anois. Ní féidir liom glacadh leis. Ní aontaím leis na rudaí a dúirt na Teachtaí. I do not agree with what Deputy Hayes said. I understand it and will take it at face value that his concerns are genuine. I have no reason to think otherwise. There is nothing underhand about this at all. It is a bit of a stretch. Deputy Hayes spoke about a raid of the Climate Action Fund. That is not it at all. This is a short-term temporary measure to reduce costs to households and businesses. It is on a two-month basis. It is very clearly set out. If it was underhand, it would not be printed in the legislation. It is not a very long Bill. It is not that it was hidden anywhere. One can read it very clearly in about three minutes. Homework is not three minutes but fair play for picking up something that is very clearly set down in the Bill itself so I commend the Deputy for that I have no intention of extending this for 18 months. There is a sunset clause within it so it means within that period of time. If the situation got worse and we had to extend it, it gives the ability in this to extend it but that decision would be a decision that I would bring to Cabinet. I can assure the Deputy that Members would be informed of that. The Climate Action Fund is in surplus to the tune of €265 million that is unallocated. We are continuing and accelerating measures around retrofitting and biodiversity restoration. The Deputy mentioned bogland restoration. A total of 33,000 ha have been restored over the last period of time. Some incredible work is happening there. There has been incredible work on the community side on climate action so I am not trying to in any way cut into that. I have responsibilities as environment Minister to ensure that we do that. I will not be accepting the Deputy's amendment. That is not the intention of what is here. The Deputy read it in a different way. That is fine. That is his wont. That is not what we are going to do. This is a measure to affray increases in costs that people are suffering because of an international situation. NORA itself is in surplus and needs to retain a surplus as well. The cost of this over the two-month period is approximately €20 million - probably less because the NORA levy receipts vary month by month. The clause is a sunset clause. This dies off after that period of time. It does not give a Minister the ability to extend but I can assure the House that I will bring any extension to this to Cabinet and that decision will be made by Cabinet. It is not something we would do lightly. It does not in any way impinge on the climate action worker funding we are providing for groups right across the country. I could go into all this but it is more for an environmental debate. We have done over 2,000 schools, 240,000-plus homes have been retrofitted and 4,000 businesses last year alone. We are targeting 73,000 homes this year. We have amended the grants. The Deputy's concerns are obviously genuine. I am telling him that this is not the intention of it and as we do with everything, we will do that in a transparent way. If we were to extend it, that would be a matter I would bring back to Cabinet and we will inform the House in that way. I will not be accepting the amendment.

Sentiment score: 0.06

It goes to NORA and then an element of it is forwarded.

Sentiment score: 0.00

D’fhreagair mé ceisteanna an Teachta. Níl aon rud fágtha le rá agam faoi sin. Níl mé ag glacadh leis an leasú.

Sentiment score: -0.19