A DONEGAL TD claimed he could not face his mother if he voted to make people’s lives harder in the cost-of-living crisis.
Pearse Doherty was speaking in a high-profile Finance Bill committee meeting and warned that its decisions can have “damaging consequences for ordinary workers and families”.
Deputy Doherty said: “When people tell you that they are turning down the heat in their homes, or that they are going to bed earlier as the days get colder and the nights get longer, those are real consequences of decisions taken in rooms like this.”
He added “there is no way I could go back to Donegal and face my mother” and admit that “I voted to make life harder”.
The Finance Bill committee’s discussions were held in Dublin today.
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty speaking at Finance Bill committee meeting.
Deputy Doherty said: “When people tell you that they are turning down the heat in their homes, or that they are going to bed earlier as the days get colder and the nights get longer, those are real consequences of decisions taken in rooms like this by politicians who are out of touch with where ordinary workers and families are at.
“Surely, there are people coming to your constituency offices as well and that you know have no option but to buy that bag of coal.
“You know that that family in that estate has no option but to continue to drive that diesel car.
“So there are amendments here that are very very clear.”
He added: “They would reduce the cost of petrol and diesel, reduce the price of home heating oil and reduce the price of green diesel.
“The second amendment gets rid of all carbon tax increases in the future, and the third amendment will remove the carbon tax increases on coal, peat briquettes and others.
“I am pushing these amendments to a vote because there is no way I could go back to Donegal and face my mother, her neighbours or whoever comes into my constituency clinics and tells them that I voted to make life harder for them.
“I am not doing it, and nobody in this committee should be doing it either.”
