A bitter war of words between the Tánaiste Simon Harris and Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty is continuing this evening.
Earlier in the Dáil, Mr Harris disputed Sinn Féin's contention that there was an excise duty on home heating oil, after the party called for it to be cut, given that around 750,000 homes use it.
Mr Doherty said this afternoon that Mr Harris's claim was wrongly made without qualifications.
The Department of Finance has now issued a statement confirming that there is "technically" an excise charge on home heating oil but that it is part of the carbon tax.
The Government has consistently said that it will not cut the carbon tax.
A Department of Finance statement said: "Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) is applied on home heating oil (kerosene). This comprises a carbon component and non-carbon component.
"The rate is zero for the non-carbon component of kerosene. The non-carbon component is commonly referred to as fuel excise or fuel duty.
"The carbon component of MOT is the carbon tax. MOT is a type of excise duty, so technically there is an excise charge on kerosene.
"However, it is exclusively the carbon tax and as such any calls to reduce "fuel excise" on kerosene really means to reduce the carbon tax on it.
"By not mentioning the carbon tax it gives the impression - to most people - that there is a general excise charge of kerosene when there isn't."
During Leaders' Questions in the Dáil this afternoon, Mr Doherty questioned the fairness in leaving more than 750,000 homes dependent on home heating oil without meaningful support.
He told the Dáil that a 67-year-old woman, who is still working, can only afford to turn on the heating when her grandchildren visit.
He said people are denying themselves heat in their own homes as a result of Government decisions and most do not get the fuel allowance.
He called on the Government to introduce a financial resolution to cut excise duty on home heating oil to the maximum.
Responding, the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance said from next week nearly 500,000 homes will benefit from the extension of the fuel allowance.
Mr Harris contended that there is no excise duty on home heating oil to which Mr Doherty contended that there is.
Fuel supports package 'not a small measure' - McEntee
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Helen McEntee said that "despite what people are saying" the €250m package of energy and fuel supports announced by the Government this week is "not a small measure or small package".
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime programme, she said the Government had "tried to make sure" that those who are most vulnerable will benefit, but also everyone who is "going to work, who's getting up every day, who's paying their taxes - that people benefit from this".
Number of evictions at highest level since Famine - Labour TD
Meanwhile, Labour's Conor Sheehan asked the Tánaiste what cost-of-living measures are being introduced by the Government to help renters.
During Leaders' Questions, Deputy Sheehan said there had been a 41% increase in the number of evictions in the last quarter of 2025, the highest since the Famine.
He said the Government was presiding over a "rolling series of mass evictions".
He cited 20 families in Limerick, 14 at an apartment complex in Ballybane in Galway, and "six incredibly vulnerable households in a retirement village in Sligo, including Frank, an 88-year-old wheelchair user with dementia".
Mr Sheehan said the Minister for Finance had rolled out the red carpet for institutional investors in Cannes "with the promise of higher rents and higher returns" while 41% of renters were at risk of poverty.
Mr Harris said the Government had introduced a package worth €250m this week to help households.
He said it was a "recognition that the economic medicine that we're endeavouring to administer now may need [a] different type of prescription" in the period ahead.
He also said the Government was "moving towards legislating" on short-term lets.
Deputy Sheehan said the Government had watered down the proposals of clamping down on short-term lets, by increasing the population cap.
No full-size football pitch available to children in Dublin's inner city - Soc Dems
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon claimed that Dublin is not receiving adequate funding for sports facilities.
He said that the national average for funding is €54 per capita, with Leitrim receiving over €100 per head, and Dublin getting €26.50.
"There is not a single full-size football pitch available to children in Dublin's inner city," he pointed out.
Mr Harris said that it was a "very valid" point, and he committed to "working constructively" to address the absence of such a pitch.
Mr Harris told the deputy he would work with "your own community, your own constituency, with Dublin City Council".
