Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-24
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

I thank the Deputy very much for the invitation but I will be working here on the budget in relation to fuel and energy, so I do not need to attend a protest meeting. What I need to do is make sure that people in this country do not feel the need the protest because they feel that we are making policy decisions that will help them.
By the way, I have also spoken to a number of the people who were involved in the fuel protests. I met many of them at the ploughing. I met many people at the ploughing and at the Longford show with Deputy Carrigy as well, including people who were involved in those protests. I met all the farmer representative organisations, the hauliers as recently as yesterday and the trade unions. Fuel and energy is a real issue but what I am saying to people, and I hope they are hearing it, is that we are going to provide clarity in relation to excise. We are looking at carbon tax on both home heating oil and gas. I have just given Deputy McGreehan a view in relation to the extension of the farm support scheme as well. The Government will bring forward a package in the round in relation to the energy situation in the budget in just 12 days' time.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-24