I thank Deputies for their robust engagement on this important issue. As the Tánaiste stated earlier, these excise reductions form part of an overall package that the Government has designed to provide immediate financial support to households. The excise rate changes will provide for VAT-inclusive, per-litre reductions of 15 cent per litre for petrol, 20 cent per litre for auto diesel and 3 cent per litre for marked gas oil, or green diesel. In addition to the NORA levy reduction of 2 cent, this will provide for an overall reduction of 17 cent on petrol, 22 cent on auto diesel and 5 cent on MGO. While tax changes cannot fully absorb the recent energy shocks or market volatility, these changes will lessen the impact of fuel costs on consumers. This measure will be in place for a defined period of time, and the Government reserves the right and option to adjust these as circumstances evolve. This approach is in line with the European Council conclusions agreed in Brussels last week, and with the response of other EU member states. I reiterate the Tánaiste's affirmation that the Opposition amendments cannot be accepted. The proposed amendments disregard the need for a long-term, economic and sustainable approach. The measures announced today will provide significant mitigation against recent fuel price increases. It is not possible, using the tax system, to offset all of the recent increases, which are driven by market factors. These excise reductions, in conjunction with the NORA reduction and the changes to the fuel allowance and diesel rebate scheme, which has significantly increased by 60%, underwrite the supply lines. This really impacts on inflation for many of the groceries that we buy every single week. If we did not do this, it would have a significant impact on consumers. This will also benefit households at the pumps, given the various measures related to the NORA levy and excise. We must respect the fact that we are limited by the rates allowable under the energy tax directive and VAT directive. Going by what the ESRI has said in relation to the most important deciles to benefit from budget 2026, there is an extension of the fuel allowance, which now covers 470,000 households. Many of the benefits of this were being operationalised in recent weeks. On 12 March, 50,000 households were brought into the net due to the change to the working family payment, and this was backdated to 1 January. The extension of four weeks, together with the increase in the eligibility criteria of over €1,000 in net income for those over 70, ensures that 370,000 households will benefit, and an additional €150 per month is also targeted at the most vulnerable in society. In my view, the Government's first port of call is to ensure that, in a time of crisis, when we hit a significant shock in the economy, we first protect the most vulnerable in society. This is backed up by the ESRI, and it is what we are going after in the first instance. We will then go wider for the rest of the economy, thereby ensuring we are underwriting the support for supply chains through our haulage sector, which has seen an increase of 60% in the diesel rebate scheme, as well as the measures at the pumps. Critically, there have been other measures like the €250 million package and the reduction to 9% in VAT for electricity and oil, which ensures that every household in the country will save €100 per year. Other countries in Europe, for example, Italy, Spain and the UK, are still grappling with changes. Many have not gone as far as Ireland has already gone at this juncture, with Spain looking to reduce its VAT rate to 10%, while Ireland has moved to 9% for electricity. A critical point from our perspective is to ensure that any changes are affordable. We do not know the duration of this crisis. If we look at what the International Energy Agency has put clearly on the record, this could be a lot worse than what happened in the two crises of the 1970s, together with the challenge of the Ukraine shock, which is very significant. There is one thing we know following the recent crises that we have faced in this economy. With Brexit, we met that challenge from a position of strength, and we came back stronger. When we hit the challenge of the global pandemic, we met that challenge from a position of strength, and we came back stronger as a government. When we hit double-digit inflation in November 2022, we also met it from a position of strength, and we came back stronger. Equally, by managing the economy well, we will meet this crisis from a position of strength, and we will come back stronger as a government, and critically, protect the most vulnerable along the way.

Sentiment score: 0.21