I move amendment No 1: In Schedule 2, inserted by paragraph (1), by the substitution of the following for the rows dated 25 March 2026 and 1 May 2026: " ".

Sentiment score: -0.30

-----that does not even come close to what is needed. And worse, the Government is now preparing to increase carbon tax on home heating oil in the space of four weeks while clawing back with one hand what it pretends to give with the other hand. Do not come in here and try to pretend that this is the Government simply helping the people because it is not. It is just going through the motions while more and more people suffer. Let us be absolutely clear. The Minister can shake his head all he wants. It is not an issue of resources. There is a multi-billion euro budget surplus. The Government is taking in millions of euro as a result of the additional tax revenue from fuel prices that are soaring. The money is there. Do you know what is not there? It is political will from this Government. That is what is missing - to stand up for ordinary workers and families. When it comes to the crunch - and we all know this on this side of the House - Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael always make the same choices. Hoard the surplus, protect the banks and leave ordinary people to fend for themselves. Tonight, we are putting forward an alternative. We are putting forward a different choice because Sinn Féin actually listens to people. It listens to the concerns that people have been telling us over the past four weeks.

Sentiment score: 0.04

Our amendment will deliver the maximum reduction on diesel, the same reduction on petrol and will remove completely excise duty for home heating oil - an oil that has nearly doubled in the space of four weeks and the Government plans to increase the tax on it in a couple of weeks' time. Real measures, immediate relief and action that matches the scale of this crisis because people cannot wait. They cannot take another hit. They should not be abandoned like this. Is the Government going to continue to insult people with half measures or is it going to finally act and deliver the support that they need? We on this side, in Sinn Féin, are going to stand with workers, carers, families, those with disabilities and small businesses tonight. We are not going back down. People deserve far better. I say to Government TDs and the Independent TDs who support the Government that they are going to have a choice within an hour. Are they going to stand up? Are they going to stand with Ministers? Are they are going to hide behind Deputy Simon Harris or are they going to do the right thing and stand up for workers, carers and small businesses, reduce the excise to the maximum amount and remove excise duty from home heating oil at this time of crisis?

Sentiment score: -0.00