Fuelling the debate at local and national level

Want to know what senior politicians in this constituency thing about the fuel price prises, the recent protests and government interventions? Zoe Tunney asked them...

Fianna Fáil Senator Robbie Gallagher concedes that, next time, the government will have to act “more quickly”.

Welcoming the latest intervention by government, he said it is “very much needed”.

“We need to continue to monitor the volatile situation and remain agile. We may need another intervention,” the Fianna Fáil senator said.

Sen Gallagher spoke with many protestors and met with “hard-working people with genuine concerns”.

He emphasised: “Government was working with representative bodies on a package for some weeks before the protests but that should have been communicated better.

“Every day’s a school day for all of us.”

Blockades ‘not acceptable’

Deputy David Maxwell (FG) conceded that people are unhappy and feel the latest measures “don’t go far enough”.

“People have a legitimate right to protest in a peaceful manner that is not up for debate, but the hindering and blockage of people is not acceptable. People cannot stop traffic and ask for ID to determine who gets through and who doesn’t,” he told the Celt.

He emphasised the uncertainty thasthat remains. “This war could continue well into the summer and no one knows what lies ahead; oil prices could increase far more and the government may need to look again at more cuts this could cost up to 1½ to 2 billion by summer end, no one knows.

“So, the premise of give everything now could seriously harm our economy,” the Cavan-Monaghan TD said.

‘A tipping point’

Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy made clear his view that the government’s inaction caused a “tipping point” which drove people to the protest lines.

“Nobody wanted to see people on the streets or be on the streets protesting,” Deputy Carthy told the Celt, “But people felt they had no choice. People are desperate.”

He described the government’s response to the protests as “disastrous”.

“So rather than calming the situation down the Government escalated it by turning the Irish army on its own people.”

The TD from Carrickmacross said the package announced by government “falls short”.

“In fact,” he said, “people are no better off.”

Listen to the people

Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly criticises the government’s handling of the fuel protests and maintains the refusal to engage with ordinary working people has deepened the crisis and exposed how disconnected they have become from everyday life.

“This government that has no difficulty meeting unelected NGOs behind closed doors shaping policy with groups that have no democratic mandate. Yet [with] working people, ministers choose threats over picking up the phone.”

Sen O’Reilly described the tone adopted by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and Ministers was inflammatory and belittling.

“Families and businesses are being squeezed from every angle, while the government continues to take in massive revenues from fuel taxes. Instead of engagement, we have seen lectures. Instead of respect, we have seen people talked down to and belittled. To see farmers, hauliers and decent working people threatened by the TDs who are meant to represent them is a disgrace.”

She added: “This crisis has exposed a government that is too long in office, too distant from the people, and too unwilling to take responsibility for the consequences of its own decisions.”

Frustration

Sinn Féin Deputy Cathy Bennett said the latest government intervention falls “well short” of the action necessary to make fuel affordable.

“Much of the frustration seen in the past number of weeks has been the result of government dithering and delaying action to support Irish families and businesses,” she said, adding they are “out of touch with what families, farmers and small business owners are experiencing”.

“People simply cannot take any more of a government that is failing time and time again to deliver to them, and that is why Sinn Féin have brought a motion of no confidence in the government.”

Government response ‘substantial’

Fianna Fáil Deputy Brendan Smith shared people’s concerns over fuel prices and the cost of living but that disagreed with the blockades.

“I’d like to see more supports for households and businesses and especially for people on lower incomes.”

However, the TD added: “The Irish government’s response has been substantial when you compare it to NI, Britain and other countries.”

Deputy Smith said that many of the financial pressures being faced were brought on by the illegal wars in Ukraine, Palestine and Iran.

“I’m not a member of government,” Deputy Smith said. “None of us know what lies ahead but the Taoiseach and Tánaiste are keeping the situation under review. I was told after the first package of €250M in March that it was not the final intervention.”

Deputy Smith said he had spoken to people about their cost-of-living concerns. “I’ve had people contact me about missing hospital appointments in Dublin and business owners fearful that their product won’t reach their customers,” he added.

“Everybody has a right to protest; that’s the tradition in this country but nobody has the right stop people getting to work and appointments,” he told the Celt.

People power

Senator Pauline Tully (SF): “The only reason they announced any measures at all is because of the pressure put on them by the people of this country.”

Over the weekend Senator Tully attended the fuel protest in Cavan along with party colleagues.

“New data released by the CSO shows home heating oil is at its highest price since records began 30 years ago and yet the government has done nothing to help people suffering from this energy shock.

“They [the Government] are detached from the reality facing over 700,000 households that rely on oil to heat their homes,” Sen Tully told the Celt.

“The measures they have announced fall far short of what is actually needed and the only reason they announced any measures at all is because of the pressure put on them by the people of this country who are not able to take any more.”

‘We are acting’

Minister of State Niamh Smyth (FF) said that people’s concerns “deserve to be taken seriously”.

She assured her constituents that the government sees the “pressure” people are under.

“Rising fuel costs are not an abstract statistic, they are felt at the kitchen table, in family budgets stretched to the limit, and by businesses fighting to stay afloat.”

Talks between industry representatives and the Government has led to a “better understanding of the challenges on the ground”.

“We are listening,” she said, “and we are acting.”

Balancing act

Fine Gael Senator Joe O’Reilly said the government must strike a difficult balancing act with taxpayers’ money.

“We have to get a balance because we have to keep autism services going, the health and education systems going, ambulances on the road and gardaí on the streets,” Sen O’Reilly told the Celt.

“The Government can’t just alleviate every problem at the moment. It’s hard to explain that to somebody suffering and has no money now.”

Sen O’Reilly continued by saying that he was not at any of the protests in recent days, but understands out there the “anger that gave rise to them”.

“Any sane person accepts the reason for the protests, but we have to keep the oil supply coming into the country, keep the health system and schools going,” he said.

The senator also called for direct supports for households buying kerosene and said he would advocate for that in the Seanad.