It will also go towards fuel poverty. That is why we allocated it towards fuel poverty in the budget. The problem is this: we are putting it out transparently and honestly and we are saying to people that the revenue that is raised - all of it - goes back to the people in schemes that over time will be both-----

-----effective and better for the country in the capacity to retrofit but also fuel poverty and to protect people much better than was done in previous times because of the revenue that is going to accrue.

It is only a number of weeks since we lifted restrictions. We are emerging from a pandemic that has dominated this country and the rest of the globe in respect of economics, public health and so forth. The intervention by the Government was imaginative, unprecedented and effective in terms of underpinning jobs and incomes to the best degree possible given the extraordinary situation we faced. That cannot be wished away and forgotten about as if it did not happen. With regard to the global situation, because the wor…

Average wages in Ireland are higher than the European average, as I think the Deputy will acknowledge. There have been increases linked to productivity, which is good. That would be a priority. Again, even if purchasing power is factored in, our minimum wage is the sixth highest in the 27 EU member states. That is factoring in the cost of living, and so on. We will work with the social partners in respect of this current inflationary cycle and in regard to national agreements and so forth. However, critically, in t…

Again, I have to restate what I said earlier. At this time last year, a barrel of oil on international markets traded at $61. Today, it is $91 a barrel. That is not because of the carbon tax. It is very dishonest to say the carbon tax is the key contributor to fuel inflation.

It is not the key contributor in any shape or form and we need to be honest with the public because I know there will be attempts made to misrepresent-----

-----what has been a global situation in the price of oil and the price of gas. We only hope that conflict does not break out between Russia and Ukraine, which could even exacerbate it further and is something we do not want at all.

Gas prices on international markets, as I said, have quadrupled in the past year. That is not because of the carbon tax. On the other side of the coin, we do want to release unprecedented funding to people through grants to enable them to retrofit their homes to make them more energy efficient and cheaper to run in the future.

That is what we want to do. We want to prioritise that area. It makes sense to insulate homes and we will give good grants to people to enable them to do that. On looking after low-income families, the fuel allowance and so on, we were able to take measures in the last budget on the social welfare package because of the revenue that has been generated from the carbon tax itself and, likewise, in the farming environmental schemes that are important in creating new income streams for farming. In no way, however, does…

The other factor is, of course, to take cars as an example, there has been a shortage in microchip manufacturing. There have been fewer cars manufactured. As economies have bounced back across the world, the supply of cars has not equalled the demand for them. That is causing inflation. That is just one product. That can be mirrored in product after product since economies have reopened after Covid-19. That, along with the oil and gas price increases, is fuelling this inflationary cycle. It is a challenge. That is …

From the outset the Government has been committed to first supporting workers and people on the ground. No Government wants people to perish or die in the ditches. For God's sake, let us have some common sense and some sense of perspective. The bottom line is that the Government is considering measures right now, over and above what we have already undertaken in the budget, which provided more than €1 billion in tax and social welfare packages. We are now looking at further measures to cushion the blow-----

-----that this inflationary cycle is imposing on people. There is no question but that this is a global phenomenon. Nobody is arguing about that.

We need to take measures now that can ease the pressure on people's everyday weekly outgoings on a number of fronts and that is what we are examining. Before the end of the week, we will have proposals to add to the decisions that we have already taken in this regard. We fully understand the pressures that people are under and we are going to deal with them.

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist phráinneach agus thábhachtach seo a ardú. Níl an tuarascáil léite agam ach tá a fhios agam faoin idirdheighilt sin agus na deacrachtaí atá ag na Palaistínigh, go háirithe ag teacht ó pholasaithe an rialtais atá ann faoi láthair. I fully acknowledge that there are serious issues in how Israel treats Palestinians and how it is dealing with the Palestinian question and, in my view, the right of the Palestinians to their homeland and their own state. It is depressing th…

That is currently being examined by the Department of Foreign Affairs. I have not read it yet, but I will get through it as quickly as I can. From our perspective, through the European Union we have a clear policy position in this regard. We believe that Israeli policy is counterproductive to the emergence and triumph of moderate opinion within Palestine, in both the West Bank and Gaza. In many ways that policy has allowed extremists to get the upper hand, in my view. We have pointed this out time and again. Someti…

I agree that one can oppose Israeli Government policy and should not be labelled as antisemitic for doing it. It is important, given our strength despite being a small country, that our voice on this matter has been seen as objective and honourable, although not by everybody. Generally speaking, our interest is genuine and we have been one of the strong supporters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, particularly during the difficult years when former US Pr…

I am on the pragmatic side. I know what works. When I say "works", we must help people and children to get an education. We should seek, at a European level and with our American partners, to expand UNRWA and its support for the vast majority of people.

I respect all parties but we are entitled to have our own opinion as well.

We are entitled to read reports, analyse them and form our own opinions. There is a great novel by Colum McCann, Apeirogon , and the Deputy should read it. I have read it. That in a far more impactful way, I think, illustrates the reality of life involving two people-----

-----on different sides. The Deputy should read it.