The reason we are here tonight is because for the past two-to-three weeks we have been listening to people the length and breadth of the country, as I am sure the Tánaiste has as well, who are under serious pressure because of the vast increase in the cost of their home heating oil but also of their fuel when they want to go to work and whatever they want to do in life. That has an impact. It has an impact on everybody and it is an immediate impact. It was an immediate impact last week and the week before. This idea that the Government was considering it and analysing it and is now thinking about doing something about it-----

Sentiment score: 0.09

People are very annoyed it has taken so long for the Government to come to this situation that the Tánaiste is now able to stand here this evening and say the Government intends to do something. Up until now the Government would not even acknowledge that it intended to do anything. All it intended to do was examine the situation and monitor it. What people hear when the Government says that is that it is going to wait to see if things get worse and that it is not going to do anything about it now. That is what they have been hearing until now and that is not acceptable. We have thousands of people across the country who have to go to work, bring their children to school and do all these things. They drive past the petrol pumps and look up and see the price going up and up all the time. We have farmers coming into this time of year when they are filing their tanks with fuel, with their green diesel, and that has all gone up. They have to spread fertiliser. That has to come through the Strait of Hormuz as well and that will be going up. There is a serious crisis coming at our economy if we do not act. The reality is that the Government's tax take, because the base rate has risen, has gone up along with it. People are asking why the Government does not do something. Why has it done nothing up until now? It is only when we come here this evening with this motion and a Bill that will do something that the Tánaiste is able to say the Government is now going to act.

Sentiment score: -0.10

That just seems a little bit-----

Sentiment score: 0.00

It just seems a little bit rich that the Government could do nothing but monitor it until this evening and now that we are here and we are actually going to produce something that will have an effect for people and will reduce the tax rate that people have to pay on their fuel and home heating oil, all of a sudden the Government has managed to find the road to Damascus. The Government has turned and is going to do something about it. I wish to God the Government had found that road a couple of weeks ago when people the length and breadth of the country were realising that the price of their home heating oil was going through the roof.

Sentiment score: 0.24