Confidence in Government: Motion
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-14
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Michael Lowry (IND), Tipperary North

I am not going to shout but I would like to be heard. This has been a very difficult week for the country and its citizens. People are suffering and under enormous financial pressure due to the cost-of-living increases in the price of fuel due to the war in Iran. It has to be acknowledged that all of us across Government failed to respond effectively in a timely fashion and failed to listen and understand the extent of people’s worry and frustration. We all have encountered anger, resentment and outright hostility, which, in my view, arises from indecision, slow intervention and failure of communications.
The protest started out with many aggrieved, hard-working, decent and respectable people who were worried sick about their future. It was later infiltrated by undesirables whose only agenda was to cripple the country and bring down the Government. Over the past week, as Independents, we have used our influence for the introduction of specific financial supports for key sectors of the economy, such as haulage, distribution, logistics, school transport, bus operators, farmers and agricultural contractors. In particular, I am happy that sole traders in these sectors can access the support funds. Our Independents, together with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers, battled strongly and successfully for a reduction in the Government tax take on fuels and the deferment of the planned increase in carbon tax. This gives a measure of respite at the pumps for the general public who depend on fuel for their daily activities.
While the country faces the most serious crisis in recent history, with oil supplies disrupted in the Middle East, energy markets in turmoil, there are those in our political system who shamefully are looking to exploit the situation for their own benefit, rather than provide solutions to us to get through this dangerous time. Sinn Féin, and others on the left, have inflamed a very volatile situation. They wanted to cause the country further suffering in a point scoring exercise against the Government.
I want to put this on the record today. Sinn Féin is the most hollow, cynical-----

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Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-14