I do not care what it is called.

I do not care what it is described as. It needs to be removed.

It needs to be removed.

Will the Taoiseach remove the excise from home heating oil? That is the question. I believe the Government should do that and do it urgently to give relief to those who cannot now fill their tanks and are struggling. I also asked the Taoiseach what specific request was made of the European Commission. Have we sought a derogation in respect of the VAT directives? How long will this process take? What ask has been made? As the Taoiseach is aware, we believe we should look for a zero rate for a defined period of time.…

To what level?

To zero?

I am not stupid. I am aware of that. Answer the questions.

What?

Revenue uses that term.

I am avoiding nothing.

I used the language the Revenue used.

It is not fair-----

I again raise with the Taoiseach the commitments Britain made to the Irish Government and all parties in the North to introduce an Irish language Act and to commission abortion services in the North. We can all agree that women have waited long enough for these services. Certainly, Irish language speakers have waited long enough. As the Taoiseach will know, the British Government has again demonstrated bad faith on these matters. Will he tell us whether he has spoken to or will speak to the British Government to es…

My question concerns the expulsion of four senior officials from the Russian embassy in Dublin. I understand these four senior officials have been identified as carrying out activities not "in accordance with [...] standards of diplomatic behaviour". Will the Taoiseach inform the House who these senior officials are and what behaviour marked them out for expulsion? We all dearly hope there will be positive progress at the talks in Istanbul today. We know that the war must end and that peace and diplomacy must preva…

I acknowledge and welcome today's announcement. More to the point, I look forward to seeing the detail of what is proposed for the Magdalen laundry site on Seán MacDermott Street. This will be a very significant development locally but also nationally and internationally. It is essential that we get it right in terms of the archive, the site of conscience and the whole area of social housing. That will mean there has to be a collaborative approach and spirit, and a willing ear to listen not least to the local commu…

Thank you. I am much obliged.

As the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will know, the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, published its quarterly report this morning. It makes for very alarming reading. The ESRI says inflation could peak at 8.5% this summer before averaging out at 6.7% for the year as a whole. This, as the Minister knows, is the highest annual rate of inflation since 1984. Inflationary pressures that were already building have escalated further due to Russia's criminal invasion of Ukraine. We are presented wi…

That is an extraordinary response and a very disappointing one. When the Minister says the Government is at one on these matters I can only assume he is therefore reiterating the position of the Minister for Finance that the Government has no plans to take further measures this side of October. Whereas the State's economic and fiscal forecast needs to be reset this springtime, I tell the Minister households' economic and fiscal realities have taken a battering. It is simply unreal and not accepting of the reality o…

That is not what the Government is being asked to do. The Minister is being disingenuous.

No, the Minister is being disingenuous.