Confidence in Government: Motion
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-14
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

A Cheann Comhairle, Labour has no confidence in this Government. This Government has failed to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Its members have shown a total disregard for the mounting pressures facing households and businesses across the country. The Labour Party warned in March when the first package of measures was announced that workers and families would continue to face impossible cost burdens. We warned then that Government needed to adopt robust policies on renewable energy, transport costs and remote working. The events of last week and the support from the public for the aims of the protests were not just about fuel prices but the Government has patently failed to recognise this. It has failed to recognise why so many people across the country are so angry with it. It is about energy bills but it is also about exorbitant rents and mortgage costs, house prices, childcare, education and healthcare costs, waiting lists and more. It is about a budget last October that did nothing for working people. It is about a housing crisis only getting worse as more and more young people choose to leave this country because they see no future here. It is about the thousands stuck on waiting lists for treatment, therapies, disability services and assessments of need. It is about a lack of special education supports for children with additional needs, and so much more.
Last week, Labour recognised the deep distress and frustration felt by so many. Last Wednesday morning, we called on the Government to engage urgently with representative groups to ensure a resolution. We also called for the lifting of blockades to limit disruption to families, lives and businesses and ensure fuel reached those who needed it. We rejected the intimidatory tactics of some while absolutely respecting the right to peaceful protest of many. We watched all week in mounting dismay as Ministers of this Government responded by going on the airwaves and pouring petrol on the flames of anger. Instead of de-escalating, they inflamed the situation. The meeting the Government eventually convened on Friday afternoon could and should have been held sooner. Government could and should have acted more swiftly to address the real and genuine concerns of so many.
The Government’s actions over the last week alone have shown it is incapable of handling crisis situations. This Government is worn out, tired out and zoned out from the reality of people’s lives. After too many years in office, this Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Lowry group and, it seems, half the Healy-Raes just did not get the message. In the week before Easter, the message should have been received loud and clear about the growing fuel and energy security crisis resulting from Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal warmongering in Iran and Lebanon.
However, Government leaders were more focused then on talking about tax cuts for the rich. In the week when grocery inflation was reported at over 6%, the Tánaiste was on a media blitz for his new investment savings scheme. While 320,000 households are in arrears on their electricity bills, the Taoiseach was ruminating on inheritance tax cuts in the next budget. That is where the Government’s priority was - totally out of touch.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-14