Ministers have become ‘glove puppets’ for their Departments – McGuinness

Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, John McGuinness, has accused Government Ministers of becoming glove puppets of their Departments.

Deputy McGuinness was speaking during a Dáil debate on the Motorist Emergency Relief Bill, which Fianna Fáil brought before the house this week. The proposed legislation would reduce petrol and diesel prices by 5 cent a litre with immediate effect.

Deputy McGuinness commented: “Little change is taking place. The Minister for Finance has shown a complete lack of understanding of the plight the ordinary person who goes to work every day faces.  In a short space of time Government ministers have become glove puppets of their Departments.

“Getting to work is costing people much more recently and a little relief, even that suggested in the Bill, would be a big deal to them. When you add up the cost, it is a huge burden on individuals in the household who are working to put fuel in the car to go to work. All they are asking for is a little relief.

“The Minister showed he had no regard for those people in his comments to the media. He showed the height of disregard for them and disrespect I would not have expected from him.”

Deputy McGuinness added many businesses that use transport as its main form of enterprise were hugely affected by the exorbitant cost of petrol and diesel.

“Hauliers have seen 1,300 truck licences being dropped in the past few years and witnessed their costs soar. The Government refuses to consider what other countries are doing for hauliers and it refuses to give them a break to help the people they employ. That is a disgrace.

“The Government has turned its back on the business world and left it to sweat. It is acting in the most arrogant manner I have ever seen. A reduction in the cost of petrol and diesel would boost consumer confidence and have a positive impact on the domestic economy but the Government seem content to shoot this down without any consideration.”