The Dáil has heard that comments made nationally about those who attended the fuel protests last month have “angered and insulted ordinary, decent” people.
It comes after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar offered an apology for his comments about rural Ireland which came after protests erupted across the country after Easter.
Today, the government announced further fuel supports for some workers and businesses with the details of the package laid out at Government buildings.
Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy John McGuinness defended those who took part in protests as “decent individuals,” adding that a debate on rural Ireland, particularly in light of the outcome of protests in recent weeks, was needed.
“I want to put on the record that the people I met on the protests were decent individuals. They were farmers, families and children,” said McGuinness.
“They gave no problems in relation to the stewarding of the protest itself and they were anxious to make a point. Whatever is being said nationally about those who were on the protest, I think it has angered and insulted the ordinary decent men, women and families who I met,” the Fianna Fáil TD said.
“They were out there because of the frustration they were experiencing and because they believed that they were being neglected. They believed that their ambitions were not being fulfilled and that they were not being supported by the Government.
“The farmers were there complaining about the fuel costs, and rightly so. They are understandably getting their package today.”
The Deputy said that the Government needs to deal with other issues impacting rural Ireland such as the cost of living and the price of home heating oil.
“I would hope that the Government will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that those who are marginalised and elderly, in particular, have a package of some sort to take them through to the budget and beyond. We need to focus our policies, actions and budgets on people. It needs to be people centred and we need to support communities and families,” said McGuinness.
The Oireachtas heard that small family businesses across the country have been forced to close, or are struggling, because of insurance costs, red tape, bureaucracy, and the cost of doing business.
“I will cite one such family, Paudie and Catherine Neill from Thomastown, who had to close their business. I raised it in the Dáil previously. They are a hard-working family. Now, a big part of that street in Thomastown is vacant and left without a great existence because the mainstay is gone. Direct intervention is required in situations like that,” said the TD.
‘A PERIOD OF MANAGED DECLINE’
Carol Nolan TD said that the Rural Development policy risked “risks being yet another exercise in performative consultation while rural Ireland continues to pay the price for the previous Government’s failure to deliver.”
“Launched in March 2021, the last rural development policy was full of grand promises of a thriving countryside, digital connectivity for all, revitalised towns and villages, enhanced public services and active support for a vibrant, sustainable agricultural sector. The policy has, instead, presided over a period of managed decline,” the Independent said.
“High speed broadband remains patchy in far too many rural areas. Housing provision in rural communities has been strangled by planning restrictions. Only last night I attended a cost-of-living meeting in Cloghan which took place after the fuel protests.
“We heard at that meeting of the case of a couple who had to abandon their hopes and dreams of building a home due to excessive costs. They only got as far as digging out a foundation. That is very wrong. That is failing rural people. We need to see action here.
“The comments of the former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, on rural Ireland were disgraceful. He should really hang his head in shame and so should Fine Gael,” she said.
The Road Transporters Supports Scheme announced today is worth €120m with supports to be provided to hauliers and bus and coach operators.
This scheme will be backdated to March. It will apply from when average national diesel prices surpassed €1.90 per litre – identified as the point at which fuel costs become unsustainable for commercial transport operators.
Applications for the scheme will open in May.