This financial resolution provides for an extension of the current temporary excise rate reductions on auto diesel and petrol from 31 August until 31 October 2026. This means the rates of mineral oil tax will remain reduced, on a VAT-inclusive basis, by 30 cent per litre for auto diesel and 25 cent per litre for petrol until the end of October. There has been a temporary reduction to the excise rate applied to marked gas oil and we are also acting to further extend the period of this reduction. The financial resolu…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate on the financial implications of Irish unity. It is fair to say that it is an important discussion and one that deserves to be approached with seriousness, honesty and respect. Having listened to the majority of the debate, I do not think I heard one voice in favour of partition even though there may be differences of opinion about how we achieve a united Ireland. As Deputy Lahart quite rightly said, I do not believe one-upmanship is going to achieve anything. …

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income and on Capital) (the Principality of Liechtenstein) Order 2026, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 25th June, 2026

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income and Capital Gains) (Sweden) Order 2026, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 25th June, 2026.

Why is her microphone on?

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate today. I acknowledge Jordan and Cian Adams, who turned an incredibly negative experience into an extremely positive one, for the work they have done in creating awareness and advocating in this area. It is hugely welcome. Unfortunately, 69,000 people in this country are only too well aware of the affects of dementia on family life, as are their families. According to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, ASI, in the next 20 years, that figure will more than double …

I thank Senators for their co-operation and for speedily and efficiently passing these Stages. I thank them for their engagement with this legislation and their contributions when we brought it through the various stages in the House. With the completion of these Stages, we mark a significant milestone in bringing a key chapter in the State's response to the global financial crisis to a close. There has been clear consensus across both Houses about the need for this legislation. That consensus reflects the fact tha…

Ireland's diesel rebate scheme operates in accordance with the EU's energy tax directive and the general block exemption regulation on state aid. In 2025, almost €40 million was paid out under the diesel rebate scheme. The temporary enhancement to the diesel rebate scheme has been agreed by Government in light of the severe fuel price impacts that have arisen following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. It is a short-term and targeted measure that helps to ease the burden of households and businesses acro…

As a Government, we stated at the very outset that we would monitor the situation closely and reserve the right to adjust our response, as required. We remain committed to that position. That is the position we have held from the get-go. Since this conflict broke out in the Middle East, we have remained agile and made a number of interventions. The last time we spoke in this Chamber, Deputy Doherty said that the price was going to go up on 31 July, that we would be on holidays, that there would be a cliff edge and …

May I respond?

The point I am making quite clearly is that there is a mechanism. That is why we have two Chambers in the Oireachtas. There is a mechanism to use the Seanad to amend legislation and to bring it back here. I was abundantly clear that evening with the Deputy in the debate that this situation was being kept under review and that there would be no cliff edge. What we were doing was the prudent thing to do. We were waiting to see how international oil prices were fluctuating over the last two weeks before we made a fina…

I will speak to section 2 of the Bill and propose the Government's recommendation in respect of same. The Government's recommendation is No. 4 on the numbered list. I will address Senator Conor Murphy's recommendation No. 2, which the Government does not propose to accept this recommendation. Section 2 of the Finance Bill 2026 provides for temporary reductions to the mineral oil tax rates as set out in Schedule 2 of the Finance Act 1999, effective from 25 March 2026, and further cuts effective from 15 April 2026. B…

I will respond to Opposition recommendations Nos. 3 and 5 to 7, inclusive, together. Recommendations Nos. 3, 5 and 6 from Senators Sarah O'Reilly and Conor Murphy effectively propose an end to the carbon tax trajectory at the rates applicable prior to the rate cuts introduced in March and April of this year. Recommendation No. 7 from Senator O'Reilly asks that the Minister for Finance examine the implications of abolishing the carbon tax, assess the estimated reduction in tax receipts that would result, and assess …

There is a cost to some of the Senator’s recommendations. This arises on foot of the fact that she is proposing to stop the upward trajectory. If that change were to be introduced, there would be a cost associated with it. We can agree that is a matter of fact. I do understand that one of the Senator’s proposals is to carry out a review of what alternatives could be used. That is fair enough. There is no cost to a review. That review is already happening, however, because every year the Department of Finance, worki…

I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the Bill on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. The Bill has been passed by the Dáil. It is relatively short and provides for some of the energy support measures introduced by Government in March and April to alleviate the impacts of energy price inflation owing to the disruption in the Middle East. I will start by addressing the recent Government announcement to extend certain energy support measures, some of which are included in this Bill. As the House will b…

I thank all Senators for their contributions. We can all agree on one issue, which is that there are high energy costs and we had to make interventions to ensure we could mitigate the most severe impacts of those costs. I will go back and maybe answer some of the questions that were raised. People are talking about increasing excise duty but it is a restoring of excise duty. This was a temporary measure and I suppose the unfortunate thing is when you introduce a temporary measure some members of the Opposition then…

It was a temporary measure that was introduced in response to an international energy crisis, which was one of the worst such crises since the 1970s. I am sorry but Senator Collins cannot have it both ways. She is giving out that excise is increasing and the awful impact that is going to have on families and in the same breath she is saying we did nothing by reducing it - that no family has benefited from the reduction that was introduced. Those do not align. If people did not get a benefit on day one how is it goi…

I am sorry but that is the point she made.

She made the point that no-one benefited. She said the ordinary person pulling up at the forecourt did not benefit from the €750 million intervention the Government made but at the same time the restoration of the excise, which is in response to the fact international oil prices are dropping and the price of fuel at the pump is dropping, is going to have a detrimental impact. The Senator is contradicting herself with that point. When you add the two initial interventions and the interventions we will be bringing to…

I am pleased to introduce Second Stage of the National Treasury Management Agency (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026. This Bill represents an important and, in many ways, historic milestone. It provides for the final steps in bringing to a close two of the most significant Irish responses to the global financial crisis, namely, the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, and the special liquidation of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, IBRC. Both NAMA and the IBRC have now substantially finished their work. T…