Táthar ag dréim go n-ardóidh An Banc Ceannais Eorpach rátaí úis don ochtú uair ó a bhí mí Iúil ann. Méadóidh sé seo costais mhorgáiste do na céadta mílte de theaghlaigh arís. Tá sé in am faoiseamh úis morgáiste a thabhairt isteach le tacú leis na teaghlaigh seo. Today, the European Central Bank, ECB, is expected to increase interest rates for the eighth time since July of last year. For workers and families who must deal with the rising costs of food and spiralling energy bills, this is another massive blow to thei…

The Minister talks about security and certainty. He has his head firmly in the sand. I gave him examples, including those of the single mother whose mortgage interest rate has increased by €8,400 per annum and the taxi driver whose interest rate has increased by €5,000. The Central Bank has stated that one in every five mortgage holders across the State will see an interest rate hike of €4,800. That is before we figure in today's interest rate hike and the increase in May. That is the reality. What the Government h…

This is out of control and we need to intervene now.

We do not have time.

There are no supports left.

We have been arguing for this since December.

On Tuesday night, retained firefighters walked out of the Gallery in disgust at what the Minister had to say in our debate on the Private Members' motion. They have been engaging in industrial action now for quite a while as a result of the failure to address the core issue of pay attached to the service. This industrial action is now at crisis point. There is an all-out strike planned for Tuesday, which will result in the closure of all retained fire stations across the State. SIPTU this morning stated that there …

Get away.

Will he meet them outside?

The firefighters asked us to bring these questions to the Minister.

I am just asking for an answer.

Right.

They are outside the gate.

Oh, come on.

An all-out strike has been called for Tuesday.

Get out of here.

Go outside the gates and talk to the firefighters. There is an all-out strike on Tuesday.

There is an all-out strike on Tuesday. These firefighters are handing in their pagers to the Minister and he will not even talk to them outside the gates.

They are outside the gates.

I ask the Minister not to be pointing his fingers. He should go outside the gates and talk to the firefighters.