Jennifer Whitmore
Wicklow · Social Democrats · Ireland
“The Minister for justice recently brought in reforms for the criminal justice legal aid system. While we all recognise that there is a need for reform within the system, the reforms that the Minister has brought in are ill-considered, not backed up by data or evidence and have led to absolute chaos in the courts system.”
“Hundreds of jurors were recently told that their services were no longer required. Many vulnerable people in the legal system are falling through gaps.”
“A hosepipe ban will come into force in a number of counties on the east coast from tomorrow. I completely understand that because we are seeing record temperatures and are in the middle of dealing with the climate crisis and climate change.”
“In 2024, 1,000 incidents of antisocial behaviour were recorded on Dublin Bus. That was nearly double the figure recorded just a few years earlier. Unfortunately, this is not just limited to Dublin. We are also seeing instances of this in my constituency, Wicklow, on Go-Ahead services.”
“More than 1,000 people died in Spain due to heat-related causes in June of this year alone. By early July, Spain had 14 major forest fires and 50,000 ha of land had been burned. Across Europe, more than 10,000 excess deaths associated with the recent heatwave were recorded in a single week. These warnings have to be taken seriously.”
“As a family member, you wonder if the person is getting care, whether they are being fed properly and whether they are being looked after. There is no visibility. There is a dementia care home in Shankill that a lot of people from my constituency use, St. Joseph's. It is incredible. I visited it recently.”
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“They are such a fantastic technology and the fact the Government is continuing to ignore it is beyond belief considering the incredible costs people are incurring. I ask that the Government consider this proposal seriously and support the Social Democrats amendment to the motion.”
“One area this Government has continued to ignore for some reason is the benefit and potential of plug-in solar. Plug-in solar is used by 1.5 million households in Germany and is being rolled out in the UK yet in Ireland, for some reason, we are still caught up in years of red tape when it comes to this Government trying to figure out how to legalise plug-in solar. It is a very simple technology. It is a solar panel, micro inverter and a plug. You do not need an electrician. All you need is a bit of sunlight and a socket. You can buy them in your local shops, plug them in and immediately start reducing the cost of your electricity bills. They are suitable for people in apartments and for renters. You can stick them on a shed roof or put them in your garden.”
“People all over this country are being absolutely crushed by incredibly high electricity prices that are just going up and up. We have 317,000 households in arrears. These are people who work hard and do all the right things but just cannot manage to keep their heads about water. It really does not have to be this way. The Social Democrats have put forward a proposal for solar for all, a doubling of the grants, a battery grant for households, to include the warmer homes scheme in the solar panels scheme and to also increase supports for businesses. Solar is the solution to cut people’s energy bills. It is quick, easy and relatively inexpensive if you get sufficient grants to do so. We ask the Government to support our amendment in this regard.”
“Climate action is not just a box-ticking exercise; it poses a real threat and it must be met with action on the ground in our communities. This Government cannot outsource that responsibility or our environment will pay the price.”
“It will not put solar panels on roofs or help households cut their electricity bills. It will not protect them from energy shocks or increase their energy resilience. Ultimately, climate action is energy security action. Writing checks to send abroad will export opportunities. It will improve conditions abroad while ignoring the struggles of people at home. All this does is weaken trust in this Government, which is already fragile. People have been asked over the past decade or so to change their attitudes and how they travel, live and heat their homes all in the name of climate action, and people have done so. Those asks coming from the Government, however, are unfair if the Government is not willing to act with the same urgency it expects of everyone else.”
“The EU is built on partnerships and collaboration. It works because member states commit to pulling their weight, particularly on cross-border challenges like climate change. Climate change policy within the EU relies on the key principle of trust that every country will do its part. Today, we learned in The Irish Times that Ireland might be trying to buy its way out of delivery by funding renewable projects abroad rather than meeting targets at home. That is not partnership; that is avoidance. That avoidance will come at a cost to Irish households and the Irish environment. We cannot adopt an attitude where we deal with failure by paying someone else to cover it. Failure is dealt with by addressing and correcting it. Writing checks to send abroad will not save our environment.”
“I have spoken to the Minister for Transport and the National Transport Authority and we are just not seeing improvement in the service. Having some level of transparency such as a bus-tracking system would absolutely shine a light on the difficulties people in Wicklow are facing.”
“Dublin Bus recently announced that it is going to introduce a bus tracking system to help it combat the issue of ghost buses. This will be really welcome because it will bring transparency and real-time information to bus users. Why is Go Ahead Ireland not required to implement a similar system? It would be incredibly useful. In my constituency of Wicklow, since Go Ahead Ireland was awarded contracts, we have had nothing but problems with buses not showing up, buses driving past people, buses not actually going on their required routes, or people with disabilities not being able to access the bus because the ramps do not work. It is problem after problem. I hear about this from people every week. It has not been resolved. I have spoken to Go Ahead Ireland about it.”
“We import over 80% of the fruit and vegetables we eat. At one point, these imports were of exotic fruits and vegetables that we could not grow in Ireland, but now they include crops that we can and should grow here, such as apples, tomatoes, carrots and onions. We saw a major Irish producer of carrots go into liquidation recently. That sector needs support. We cannot allow it to disappear.”
“We are now seeing the same thing happen following the ongoing war in the Middle East. Around 30% of fertiliser traded globally travels through the Strait of Hormuz. Fertiliser production is extremely energy-intensive, so when oil and gas prices rise, fertiliser prices rise too. This locks farmers into higher import costs long before any ship is even deployed. These costs do not remain on farms. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Irish food prices have risen by roughly 9% to 10% overall because farmers need to be paid for the work they do and cannot absorb all the costs arising from fertiliser price increases. While food inflation eased briefly over the past few years, international bodies expect prices will increase by over 30% this year if the disruption persists. Ireland is not a very food-secure country.”
“Imagine if the 300,000 homes that currently receive fuel allowance could save €400 on their electricity bills every year? This really is a no-brainer. I raised this earlier with the Tánaiste and he was very positive about working on a solar plan. Indeed, the relevant Minister, Deputy O’Brien, was similarly positive. I am more than happy to work with them on this. I really believe this is the option that can quickly make a difference in people’s homes. Along with highlighting our energy insecurity, this crisis has highlighted growing vulnerability regarding our food security. Our agriculture sector is deeply exposed to global markets, particularly for fertiliser, fuel and animal feed. We saw this following the invasion of Ukraine, when fertiliser prices surged to record levels, driven by gas shortages and export restrictions.”
“However, there are big upfront costs to solar, and it is not affordable to everyone. That is why we in the Social Democrats have launched our plan Solar for All. This plan would double the rate of grants available to all households. It proposes a €1,000 battery grant for all householders. Free solar installation should be provided for households under the warmer homes scheme, including people receiving the disability allowance, carer’s allowance and fuel allowance. We also need to see the rapid deployment of, or the ability to deploy, plug-in solar, which is very common in Germany and which has been introduced in the United Kingdom. These are very simple measures that we have put forward in our plan. They are simple, achievable and very effective. They would make such a huge difference.”
“Instead, families are usually exposed to global shocks while policy decisions are prioritising large energy-intensive users. At the same time, we are sitting on an enormous untapped resource. One million homes in Ireland are suitable for rooftop solar. Just ten panels can save an average household more than €450 per year on electricity bills. That is pretty much the same figure that the ESRI set out as what people would need their electricity bills reduced by annually. This is clearly a very good option or solution. The benefit of solar is that installation can take a matter of hours, not years. You do not need to carry out major works on your house or move out. It is much simpler. Solar represents one of the fastest, simplest ways to reduce energy poverty and improve resilience to energy shocks.”
“I ask that the Government take another look at our proposal because, if independent experts have produced a report at the request of the Government indicating that roughly €480 is what people need if they are to be lifted out of energy poverty, a targeted €400 credit would go a considerable way towards addressing energy affordability and poverty. This crisis has seriously exposed Ireland’s energy insecurity. Despite increased renewable energy generation in Ireland, Irish householders are not seeing the benefits. Much of our renewable output is being absorbed by large corporate users, including data centres, some of which are paying substantially less for electricity than domestic users. I am not sure how the Government can continue to stand over that. Investment in renewables is flowing but people are not seeing the gains.”
“A report published today by the ESRI indicates that 14% of households in 2024 stated that they were unable to afford adequate heating or pay their energy bills in full, and that approximately 30% of households experienced some form of energy affordability challenge. The report states €480 in additional income is needed annually by those affected in order to exit fuel poverty. The Social Democrats have been calling for a targeted payment of €400 in the form of an energy credit for those struggling the most and households earning less than €70,000. This proposal is very closely aligned with the recommendations in the ESRI report.”
“They may be useful in the long term, but they will not do anything for those families who are struggling today and are choosing between heating and eating. The EU has explicitly relaxed State aid rules, allowing targeted price interventions, income supports, tax incentives and even windfall taxes on excess energy profits, yet the Government’s approach is timid. There is no serious push for windfall taxation, no targeted price intervention and absolutely no urgency. The reality is that it took nationwide disruption before action was taken. Even now, the response is reactive rather than planned. This is crisis management; it is not policy.”
“Wholesale prices are 72% lower than they were at their peak, in August 2022, but that is not reflected in retail prices. There are serious questions, which I have raised many times, regarding the regulation of the market and the risk of price gouging. Although the Government has asked the regulator to examine this matter, the CRU has yet to produce a report on it and appears to be taking a very slow approach to transparency in the electricity sector. While this happens, people will continue to struggle to make ends meet. At the same time, we are told there will be no emergency budget, no price controls and no price reductions. Instead, we hear about future-focused measures such as home-heating upgrades and low-cost financing for retrofitting. There is a place for these measures.”
“What also came across very strongly to me during the protests was that even people who did not understand the pressures on hauliers or contractors supported the protests because they are also experiencing cost pressures in their own lives. They could empathise because they find themselves in similar circumstances. Although we have these discussions about the hauliers and although the support package is welcome, we cannot proceed in isolation from the fact that many people across our communities are struggling and suffering. We are aware that approximately 317,000 people are in arrears on their electricity bills, many for more than 19 months. These are not people who have mismanaged their finances; they are people who never recovered from the price shocks triggered by global energy crises.”
“It will only provide temporary relief when they actually need certainty and a plan for future-proofing. Probably most important, we have seen from the past month or so that there needs to be strengthening of the dialogue pathways for people. This sector had to bring the country to a standstill to have its concerns taken seriously. Protest is a powerful tool and an important part of any democracy, but it should not have taken this level of disruption for the Government to listen to people and offer them support. I hope the Government takes that lesson and works on it, because the protests demonstrated that a huge swathe of our society feels ignored, let down and left behind.”
“Every supermarket shelf, pharmacy stock-room and construction supply chain relies on trucks moving safely and affordably across the country. When haulage costs rise, we all pay the price. Hauliers face extreme cost pressures with volatile fuel costs and rising insurance premiums. They are also struggling with the increasing general cost of living alongside the rest of the country. The Government response has been to offer direct cash payments to haulage and passenger transport operators, with payments ranging from €1,350 per vehicle for small fleets to €300 per vehicle for larger operators, backdated to March and currently time-limited until May at an estimated cost of €120 million. While any support is welcome, the scheme is not enough.”
“We call for a doubling of the grants for all households, a €1,000 grant for batteries, free panels for those eligible for the warmer homes scheme and the rolling out of plug-in solar across the country. I ask the Tánaiste to consider that as part of the upcoming package.”
“Some 14% of Irish people are unable afford to heat their homes or pay their energy bills and 317,000 people are in arrears on their electricity bills. This is only going to get worse. The Social Democrats have called for a targeted energy credit scheme for households earning less than €70,000. That is a short-term measure. Obviously, we need longer term and more sustainable measures to deal with the energy crisis. The Tánaiste has spoken about heat pumps and electric cars, but these are out of the reach of many people. The biggest bang for the State's buck would be the use of solar. One million homes in Ireland are suitable for solar. Using solar would reduce people's electricity costs by 40%. The Social Democrats has a Solar for All plan.”
“Relying on bank holiday weekends, especially ones when there are large-scale events, is the wrong way to go about these works. There has to be a way of doing this and managing this better.”
“I thank the Minister. I understand, and everyone understands, there is no easy way of doing it but there are certain weekends where the demand is so high it warrants running the DART. Perhaps it could just be for that individual day and the works could be done at other points in the weekend, which is what used to happen. Last year there were no additional Luas services provided on the weekend for the VHI mini-marathon and no additional bus services. I have been contacted by people who ended up arriving late to the entry point and were not allowed run the marathon. This is hugely disruptive to people. Just because there is low commuter demand on a bank holiday weekend does not mean there is low public demand. These are public transport services, not just commuter services.”
“Approximately 30,000 women take part in the VHI mini-marathon. It is the world's largest all-women 10 km race. It raises approximately €10 million per year for charities and it has raised over €255 million since it began. This is a hugely important event. Tens of thousands of women and their families participate in it and it raises money that charities across the country simply cannot do without. People understand the need for track maintenance, know it has to happen and appreciate that days that are quieter, like Sundays, are the ones for maintenance. However, on weekends where we have such a major event it does not make sense to stop the DART from running when there are so many people who need it. I ask the Minister to reconsider this policy.”
“I will take ownership of the Arklow bank as well. This clearing house was established to identify the impediments and challenges, which the Taoiseach did not refer to at all. There are clear impediments to offshore wind. As Deputy Byrne stated, Arklow bank is no longer producing offshore wind energy. We were producing more 20 years ago than we are now. The interconnector to France is required, not only to export electricity but also in the event we need to import it. We heard recently that it is going to be delayed by two years. Can the Taoiseach tell me why the interconnector is going to be delayed? Does it give rise to concern for the Taoiseach that such a major project, which is necessary for the security of Ireland's energy - it is nearly a whisper in the media - is being delayed by two years?”
“A key discussion point at Davos this year was energy security and electrification. Were there any discussions in relation to the decoupling of gas from electricity prices? We have seen wholesale electricity prices go up 19% already this month as a direct consequence of the invasion of Iran but we really have not seen the impacts of the invasion of Ukraine being rectified on the electricity market, and gas prices set our electricity prices at the moment. Has the Taoiseach had any discussions, either with President von der Leyen or anyone else, in relation to the decoupling of gas from electricity prices? Is it something he is going to prioritise as part of his Presidency coming up in July?”
“If we do not get this right, the environment will continue to regenerate, but our lives, energy security, food security, mental health and ability to engage with our environment and our neighbourhoods will be heavily impacted. It is all highly linked. I ask that when the Ministers are sitting at the Cabinet table, they try to incorporate nature, the environment and climate change. It is only then that we will manage to make inroads and make the changes. We cannot separate nature from everything else. It just does not work like that.”
“I am sick and tired of the disconnect between what is spoken in here and what happens on the ground. I will give some very small illustrations of where we are going so wrong in this country. We have national parks without management plans and where nature is not prioritised. We have protected areas where there is no protection. Every year, the Minister of State responsible for biodiversity signs off on the hunting of endangered red-listed birds and other endangered and protected species. It just does not make sense. Compartmentalising nature separately from everything else that we do just does not work. Nature, climate and environment have to span every single portfolio because unless we do it that way, we are never going to get this right, we are never going to make inroads and we are going to leave people and the environment behind.”
“I have studied and worked in the area of environmental protection since I was 17. I have worked in a multitude of areas and I must say I find it very frustrating to see where we are now and how we have not used the last 30 or 40 years to protect our environment. I am really sick and tired of hearing governments say that they are supporting climate action and nature protection while doing the complete opposite. Last week in the Dáil, we debated Government-proposed measures that would undermine the climate Act, the very Act we brought in during the term of the last Dáil to protect against and mitigate the huge crisis that is the climate crisis. I am also sick and tired of seeing governments using the environment purely for photo opportunities and greenwashing exercises.”
“I refer not just to those who are financially secure but also to those who rely on supports, including disability supports and fuel allowance, and those families who are working but who find it difficult to invest in future-proofing their homes because they are worried about paying rent, their mortgage or for childcare. People do not have money sitting in their bank accounts that they could use for these measures. We ask that the Government support our calls and the calls in today's motion to really invest in solar because we cannot continue to go through this cycle of energy shock followed by failing people in our communities and placing the burden on them. As it is Earth Day, I also want to talk about nature. We should not talk about climate and energy without also talking about nature. It is all inextricably linked.”
“We in the Social Democrats put out a press release in September 2022 that called for the Government to urgently ramp up investment in social energy, double grants for solar panels and give free panels to those who were eligible for the warmer homes schemes. I spoke about how not implementing proper large-scale investment in solar was a wasted opportunity. Some 1 million homes in Ireland were suitable for solar panels and should have been eligible. If the Government had listened at that time, this country would be in a much better position to weather the current shock. That was a wasted opportunity on the part of the previous Government. Only last week, the Social Democrats reiterated our calls for large-scale investment in solar so that everybody can avail of its benefits.”
“I welcome this motion and thank the Green Party for bringing it forward. I absolutely agree that the energy crisis is a climate crisis, but it is also a social justice crisis. The reason we are here and the reason so many people are at the mercy of global and international fossil fuel shocks is that this Government and the previous Government did not put in place plans to insulate communities and homeowners from these energy shocks. It is not the case that we did not have warnings previously. After the invasion of Ukraine, we saw incredible increases in the price of electricity and gas. It was at that time that the Government should have put in place measures to insulate and future-proof homes and to protect those who are least able to weather these shocks.”
“Without sufficient funding, staffing and monitoring infrastructure, there is a risk that these new powers may not be fully utilised in practice. Clean air should not be a privilege; it should be a given. While I really welcome this Bill and while it is a strong step forward on enhancement and regulatory clarity, there is a lot more work to be done in the area. I hope the Minister of State will work towards introducing further and broader measures to fully address the air quality challenges we face in Ireland.”
“This Bill has serious merits and I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would consider looking at it and working with me on it. It would be important progress. It is the same with any of these Bills; it is not a panacea but it is an important step towards doing something not only for public health and the environment but also as a show of support to school children and a sign that we are listening to them. While this overarching Bill we are discussing is a major step in the right direction, air quality will only improve if legislation and enforcement is backed up by proper resources to ensure that compliance is met. While enforcement powers are strengthened in this Bill, their effectiveness will depend heavily on the capacity and the resourcing of local authorities.”
“I hoped at the time that I would get support because Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and, indeed, the Green Party had all stated that they supported a ban on idling outside schools, so I was quite confused as to why no one picked it up. It is a good piece of legislation. It is a practical piece of legislation. It is still in the system if the Minister of State wants to progress it. There are a number of benefits with this particular Bill. It is simple. It is manageable. The people who asked me to do this were usually primary school children because they recognise its importance. They are the ones who are walking past car exhaust fumes and breathing this in. They know it is not healthy; they know instinctively it is not good for them. The parents who walk with them and the school community also know.”
“I do not think people idle their cars out of badness. They just do not think about it. As a parent, I did it as well. You are cold in the car. You are driving between different school car parks for pick-ups, and you are just sitting there. It is just more that people do not think about it. They do not think about the consequences and it not just for health. It is not practical to sit and idle your car because it costs a fortune, particularly nowadays. People do not realise that switching off their engine for even short periods can reduce emissions, save fuel and improve air quality for everybody around them. I ask that the Minister of State look at public awareness in relation to this. I introduced this Bill in 2021.”
“Particulate matter has been linked to suppressed lung growth in children and the development of asthma, heart disease and even type 2 diabetes later on in life. An idling engine can produce as much pollution as a car in motion and, in some cases, more. The Asthma Society of Ireland has repeatedly highlighted that children are more vulnerable to air pollution than adults not only because of their developing lungs, but also because of their height, which places them closer to exhaust pipes. One in five children in Ireland experiences asthma at some point and poor air quality is a significant contributing factor. The EPA has estimated that approximately 1,300 premature deaths in Ireland are caused or are attributable to air pollution. That is a shocking figure. As we all know, enforcement is limited without public awareness and education.”
“The WHO air quality guidelines represent the most robust evidence on the levels required to protect health. Ireland should really be looking forward and moving towards these standards. I ask the Minister to look at that. In 2021, during the term of the previous Dáil, I introduced the Protection of Children’s Health (Idling of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles in Vicinity of Schools) Bill or, put simply, the no idling Bill. The legislation was based on the very simple idea that children should not have to breathe in toxic exhaust fumes at the school gate. The Bill sought to ban the unnecessary idling of cars within 100 m of schools across the country. Emissions from cars, particularly when idling, increase the levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in places where children spend a significant portion of their lives.”
“Unlike some policy areas, where benefits take decades to materialise, improving air quality delivers immediate and tangible results including fewer hospital admissions, fewer asthma attacks, fewer missed school days and fewer families dealing with preventable illness. Despite all of this, air pollution is often overlooked and there is very little public awareness of the true health impacts of polluted air. Many people in Ireland assume that air pollution is not a problem here because we do not have too much heavy industry. While we do meet EU limits in respect of air pollutants, Ireland did not meet the most recent World Health Organization air quality guidelines, which are considered to be much more in line with what is actually a safe level of exposure to air pollution.”
“They reminded us that air pollution contributes to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and adverse pregnancy outcomes. As a result, investment in cleaner air not only has a positive impact on the nation's health, but also reduces demand on already stretched health services and supports longer and healthier lives. The group also highlighted how air pollution worsens existing inequalities, with children, older people and low-income communities bearing a disproportionate burden. This is not only a health and environmental issue; it is also a social justice issue. It is worth stating clearly that cleaner air is one of the fastest health wins available to us.”
“Earlier this year, I had the honour of hosting the Climate and Health Alliance in the audiovisual room, where it launched its policy paper, Clean Air - Healthier Ireland. What struck me most about that paper was not simply the quality of the research, which, as I am sure the Minister of State is aware, was exceptional, but also the clarity of the message. Air pollution is not an abstract environmental issue. It is a public health emergency and it is already having a real and measurable impact on people's lives, particularly the lives of those who are most vulnerable. The Climate and Health Alliance is a group of health professionals, researchers and advocates who see the consequences of poor air quality every day.”
“In turn, this should lead to air quality improvements if, and only if, enforcement is effective. The issue of air pollution sits across many sectors and many Departments so it is important that our approach to it is cross-departmental and that it links climate action, transport, housing, energy and agriculture. This Bill is a positive step but, with its primary focus being on solid fuels and supply chain regulation, we risk ignoring the significant pollution that comes from transport emissions and agricultural activity. That is why a cross-departmental approach is so essential. I ask that further consideration be given to that point when the Government is looking at future legislation on air quality and pollution.”
“I welcome this Bill and the opportunity to discuss it and the subject of air pollution with the Minister of State this afternoon. I am glad to see that the Government is strengthening the enforcement of air pollution law and that authorised officers will now have enhanced powers of inspection, sampling and intervention. The introduction of fixed payment notices and compliance notices for more efficient enforcement is a positive change. I am very pleased to see the establishment of fuel registration systems and, I hope, tighter oversight of the fuel supply chain. I also welcome the move to update our definition of air pollution to align it with EU law. These changes are essential and very welcome. This Bill should lead to the fuel market being more tightly controlled and to illegal and high-pollution fuels becoming harder to sell.”
“This is completely eroding the strength and the purpose of the climate Act at a time when we need to double down on climate action. It just beggars belief that the Minister is actually going to do this.”
“Being able to object to developments is a core part of our democracy, it absolutely is. The projects need to be able to withstand those objections. The projects need to get those balances right. Oftentimes, the objectors are highlighting key flaws in the plans. It cannot be that we just throw them away because otherwise what is the point of the climate Act? Why bother bringing it in and why have it in legislation if the Government is just going to decide to set it aside whenever there is a project it wants to get through? Look at liquefied natural gas, LNG. This is exactly what the Government tried to do in relation to the strategic LNG legislation. It tried to disapply the climate Act there and essentially said that legislation would meet the obligations of the climate Act.”
“The Minister knows how difficult it was to get that climate Act through in the last Dáil and how important it is. All the climate Act says in section 15 is that a relevant body "shall have regard to". It is not a large or high bar for this Government to meet when it comes to building infrastructure. Why is the Government trying to undermine it?”
“No one can argue that we do not need to speed up infrastructure in this country. We have had a huge infrastructure deficit for decades and there are major infrastructure projects that we need to move on very quickly. Many of them will have a climate-positive outcome. However, it is incredible that while the Government is saying that climate obligations will remain central to those projects and the assessment of them, the Minister and the Government are bringing in a Bill that will disapply the climate Act. It essentially sets it aside and says that it will not be part of the process in the designation and the assessment of it. What the Government is doing by doing this is completely eroding the strength of the climate Act and the need for it.”
“Can the Minister outline how he is going to ensure that the integrity of and the intention behind the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 are preserved in light of planned legislation such as the Critical Infrastructure Bill, which seeks to undermine it, and will he make a statement on the matter?”
“The CRU is asleep at the wheel here. I ask that the Minister of State meet with the CRU and direct it to immediately conduct this investigation into price gouging. We cannot wait any longer.”