Before I begin, I want to welcome to the Dáil the members of the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition who are in the Gallery. Fáilte romhaibh go léir inniu. They come here at a deeply concerning moment for their community because a fresh application has been made for an Orange march along the Garvaghy Road in Portadown this Sunday. That is an issue that can reopen issues residents believed were settled for nearly three decades now. It is raising real fears, real concerns and renewed division and tension in that area. …

When I stood here this time last year, raising these questions with the Tánaiste, he was giving the same type of mantra: this would be a cost-of-living budget, and this had to be looked at in the round. People know their real-life experience in the last year. They feel worse off. They feel under more pressure. They have seen their grocery bills increase and their petrol, diesel and home heating oil increase. They have seen their rent increase. They have seen their mortgage increase. They have seen increases that th…

That is a fact. The question I am asking is, will the Tánaiste commit to giving certainty to families and reintroducing energy credits to help people to pay their electricity bills?

It is not funny.

Of course it has. Does the Tánaiste think that taking away the energy credits did not have an impact?

That is just silly.

Nobody is blaming the Tánaiste for that.

Earlier, we welcomed some of the residents from the Garvaghy Road. It is a very difficult time for them. People are shocked at the prospect of an Orange Order march being forced down the Garvaghy Road this Sunday. I was a teenager when the Orange Order attempted to force marches down the Garvaghy Road many years ago. I remember the images of the fear that was created in that community - the stand-off, the riots and the violence that happened afterwards. Things have moved on so much and thank God they have but it is…

Says the party that broke our economy, the actual party that broke our economy.

Honest to God, the Deputy has got a brass neck.

Fianna Fail actually broke the economy.

There is only party in here-----

-----that broke the economy, and it is over there on the other side of the Chamber.

From the party that crashed the economy and brought the IMF here? Jesus Christ, we do not all have amnesia here. Come on.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". Families and workers across the State are being ripped off by the cost of home heating oil. Prices are going up and up and for months, the Government has refused to act. This is not happening in isolation. At the same time, petrol and diesel prices are rising. Energy companies are hiking their bills and groceries are getting dearer day by day, stretching household budgets. A fill of home heating oil is now approximately €700 more expensive than it was at the start …

I listened to the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and I listened to the other Minister of State who came in here. Nobody else from the Government benches had the brass neck to come in and face us down on this issue. Listening to the Minister of State, I wondered what planet she is living on. She said the facts do not lie. Here are some facts for her. The price of a fill of home heating oil has increased by €700 since the start of this year. Here is another fact. The Government has not reduced the tax by 1 cent to…

There is a saying in Irish which I will finish on – is maith an rud é an eagla. Fear is a great thing. I know the Government fears the risen people. By God if it does not get this right the people will rise again.

Aréir, chonaic muid ar an teilifís náisiúnta ceathrar sceithirí de chuid An Garda Síochána. Is daoine iad seo a rinne iarracht imní tromchúiseach a ardú taobh istigh den Garda Síochána. Deir siad gur cuireadh ar leataobh iad, gur cuireadh bac orthu agus gur gearradh pionóis orthu. Tá sé de cheart ag an phobal anois a bheith ar an eolas faoi cé a bhí ar an eolas sa Rialtas faoin dóigh ar caitheadh leis na sceithirí seo agus an gníomh a rinneadh de bharr na himní tromchúisí a chuir siad chun tosaigh. Last night, four…

On a point of order, the Minister is aware that these protected disclosures are closed so that does not prevent her from answering any questions, just to be helpful. They waived their anonymity.

With respect, these are really serious matters. The Minister has not answered any of our questions - not one - and this is not the first time. She has dodged questions from other people in the Opposition previously in the Dáil. The first question I asked had nothing to do with the protected disclosure. Why will the Minister not tell the public? Let me read it again. When was the Minister first made aware there was an issue with the holsters? It has been alleged the issue with the holsters resulted in the death of a…