It would be “premature” and “foolish” to introduce additional cost-of-living supports at this stage, the Tánaiste said, as he rejected calls to reconvene the Dáil.
Simon Harris stated that current Government advice suggests there “isn’t a particular concern” regarding fuel availability, reports Breaking News.
However, the Finance Minister cautioned that the situation is “fast evolving,” particularly as further damage is being inflicted on energy infrastructure amid the conflict in the Middle East.
He said it was “prudent” to establish “advisory measures” for both households and businesses concerning energy consumption, reports Breaking News.
“We stand ready to consider further measures in the time ahead but I’ve got to be honest with people: we have to prepare not just for the days ahead, but for the months ahead, for the year ahead – and that’s why we have to take this step by step,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Harris told journalists at the 1916 Easter Rising commemoration that the economic pressure would be reduced if the war ends before winter, reports Breaking News.
“It’s a very different crisis in the summer months than it could be in the winter months. Obviously, we hope to see this war end. I think it’s true to say there’s an economic challenge no matter what happens,” reports Breaking News.
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“The economic challenge, though, is easier to manage if the war comes to an end – at least then we have an end in sight and we work to rebuild. My concern is, though, if this war continues through a winter period where there’s always an increased demand on energy, that becomes a more challenging situation,” reports Breaking News.
When questioned about demands to recall the Dáil to implement additional measures on fuel costs, Mr Harris said: “I have no interest in performative politics but what I do have in an interest in is working every single day on this extraordinary moment of economic challenge.
“The world is going through an economic crisis, which is hard to overstate the significance of, and the energy crisis that we’re living through now is the worst the world has ever seen,” reports Breaking News.
“And it’s really important that day in, day out, hour in, hour out, Government works intensively with colleagues across state agencies and indeed across the world, as we seek to navigate this,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Harris said coalition leaders would meet in the coming week to discuss energy matters, alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister of State Seán Canney, who represents the independents backing the Government, reports Breaking News.
“That’s a really important opportunity for us to be briefed and take stock on where we’re at from an energy supply and energy security point of view. I would also say this to the Irish people: while this is a moment of challenge, this is not 2008. The Irish economy is in a strong position. We have a country with full employment, our economy is growing and fiscal buffers built up,” reports Breaking News.
He added: “We will work our way through this and at this stage, it would be premature and foolish to rule anything further in or out,” reports Breaking News.
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