The Government is “acutely aware” of the “real pain and fear” being caused by increasing fuel prices, the Taoiseach has stated.
Micheál Martin reassured party members that the Government is “relentlessly focused” on taking action after a difficult week for his leadership, which saw criticism from Fianna Fáil backbenchers, reports RTE.
On Wednesday, three of the party’s youngest TDs released a letter criticising how recent fuel price protests were handled, stating they viewed “events of the past few weeks with a real and deep concern”.
This was followed by additional party members expressing unease about how the Government dealt with fuel protests and blockades, although Cabinet ministers voiced their support for the Taoiseach yesterday, reports RTE.
Speaking at the Fianna Fáil National Councillors’ Conference in Mullingar in Co Westmeath, Mr Martin referred to “living through and governing in a quite remarkable time in world history”.
He said that since returning to office in 2020, the Government has had to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, war, large-scale displacement across Europe, migratory pressures resulting from conflict in Africa, and unrest in the Middle East that has led to war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, reports RTE.
“This latest chapter has caused a disruption to global energy supplies greater even than the 1970s oil shock,” he said. “All of it has created a situation where inflationary pressures are causing very real pain and very real fear in people all across our society,” reports RTE.
“No matter how aggressively our opponents try to claim otherwise, I and the Fianna Fáil party are acutely aware of this,” reports RTE.
“With the rest of Government, we have been relentlessly focused on a) using our resources in a sustainable way to help people through it, but also b) making sure that our economy stays strong, stays stable and continues to give us the scope to provide that help. Because through all these shocks, we have managed to maintain a positive sentiment towards Ireland and the Irish economy. Investment continues to come into our country. Our businesses continue to grow and reinvest,” reports RTE.
“Just recently I visited mid-Cork and was invited to open new facilities at three enterprises – all of them well-established businesses that are expanding their operations,” reports RTE.
He told the party gathering it was “important to understand this and to acknowledge” successes because “our political opponents refuse to”.
“Our opponents give no thought to how we marshal the resources needed to support the people who need support,” reports RTE.
“As I like to point out to them in the Dáil, the opposition in this country love to talk about the idea of ‘the workers’, but when it comes to the actual working people and protecting the jobs they rely on, they are not so keen,” reports RTE.
“As I have said, I understand the pressure people are under and the fear that many feel as the war continues to threaten livelihoods, of course I do,” reports RTE.
“That is why we have introduced some of the most extensive fuel supports in Europe over the last few weeks – a €750 million package,” reports RTE.
Mr Martin emphasised that the Government has been “listening and responding since this cost-of-living crisis began”, reports RTE.
“Energy credits, reduction in VAT on gas and electricity, extension and increase of the fuel allowance (now paid to more than a quarter of all households), the largest-ever budget for retrofitting, free school books for children at primary and secondary level, free hot school meals, the new National Childcare Scheme, sustained increases in social protection and child support payments, extension of access to free GP care, reports RTE.
“These are just some of the measures we have introduced to ease the burden on people,” he said, reports RTE.
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