Fuel Prices
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Tony McCormack (FF), Offaly

I welcome the supports that are in place but we need to recognise the immediacy of the pressure facing small- and medium-sized enterprises right now. For many small businesses, particularly those that deliver their own goods in a fleet of vans, the spike in fuel and energy costs is not something they can simply absorb. These are businesses operating week to week, dealing with rising bills, fluctuating costs and very tight cashflow. Unlike larger firms, many SMEs do not have the capacity to hedge energy costs or spread risk. They are exposed in real time and that is where the pressure is being felt most. They do not have the economies of scale enjoyed by bigger businesses. There is real concern about viable businesses being pushed to the brink, not because of poor management but due to external cost shocks that are outside their control. Will the Minister of State outline what representations he has made to the Cabinet for small- and medium-sized enterprises as part of the package for agri-contractors, hauliers, bus companies and fishermen? Where is the package for companies with fleets of vans or cars, taxi companies and businesses that are the backbone of our community?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28