The Government is sitting on its hands. The task force has not met for months.

There are hundreds of elderly patients lying on trolleys. Why is this not an emergency?

With respect, the Minister is not answering the question. Hundreds of elderly patients lying on trolleys for more than a day and the Government task force has not met for months.

The people are in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis and, as we all know, in the past month as a consequence of the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, energy prices have soared. The impact of the conflict has also led to spiralling commodity prices. The prices of wheat, fertiliser and other industrial inputs are all rising sharply. In the current context it is easy to forget the cost of living crisis predates this conflict, with rents and energy prices both rising with terrible consequences for renters, worker…

Aréir, thug an Rialtas isteach laghdú, mar a dtugadh air, ar pheitreal agus ar dhíosal agus an cháin atá á ghearradh orthu sin ach ag dul trasna aon stáisiún peitril ar maidin, ní thabharfadh aon duine faoi deara é, mar go bhfuil an praghas sa chuid is mó de na stáisiúin inniu níos daoire ná mar a bhí sé ar maidin Dé Mháirt. Tá go leor acu go fóill ag iarraidh níos mó ná €2 an lítear ar pheitreal agus ar dhíosal. Ní dhearna an Rialtas aon rud ó thaobh an cháin atá á gearradh acu ó thaobh ola tithe. Gan dabht, d’fhé…

We need to deal with the right here and the right now. Let me explain to the Minister. People are ordering fill up home heating oil now. In Dublin they are being charged €1,840. I have seen other costs of close to €2,000. In January it was €750 or about that. This is more than €1,000 more. These families have not budgeted for that. It is easy for the Minister and his Cabinet colleagues to say "Let us not panic." They will be able to afford this extra cost. Many people out there cannot afford that. When the Minister…

The Government has decided to do nothing on home heating oil.

What was already post-pandemic inflation has now risen even further as a result of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Key commodity prices are skyrocketing, such as for wheat and palm oil, on the global markets and this will impact on Irish households. Figures released by the Central Statistics Office on the increase in food prices in the past year show that bread has increased by 8%, and this is before the consequences of the war have impacted on the prices on the shelves. Price rises, as the Minister knows, do no…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. The issue of moneylenders has concerned me for many years. Indeed, it is more than nine years ago now since I accompanied a group of whistleblowers, people who were employed by the largest moneylender in the State at the time, to bring evidence to the Central Bank relating to the practices of moneylenders in this State. The information on those practices we gave at the time resulted in an investigation and a fine because of what moneylenders were doing. I have…

That is not true.

On a point of order-----

How long does the Minister have to conclude?

But the schedule states ten minutes. The time was up at 30 minutes.

It is ten minutes in the schedule.

The Minister of State does not understand his own Bill.

Jesus Christ. One is APR and the other is simple interest. You do not even know what you are talking about.

It is embarrassing.

The Minister of State's officials are cringing. It is embarrassing. Oh my God.

APR, which is what exists already at 288%, and simple interest, which is in the Bill at 48%, cannot be compared. They are simply different ways of calculating interest. To make that suggestion is cringeworthy. The Minister of State should correct the record of the House.

You put up the price in September.