Cuts to excise duty on fuel were among an initial €250-million package of support measures announced by the Government in March in response to the energy crisis caused by the war in Iran. These cuts were due to expire at the end of May but were extended until the end of July as part of another €500-million package of fuel supports announced in April after a week of protests and blockades led to severe diesel and petrol shortages.Now, as Jack Horgan-Jones reports today, there is a belief among Ministers that the cuts to excise duty on fuel are “extremely likely” to be maintained until Budget 2027, despite an easing of tensions in the Gulf region.This will come as no great surprise to anyone who remembers that it took two years to restore fuel excise to their previous levels after cuts brought in following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.The extension of reduced fuel duty is perhaps inevitable given the political difficulty of reversing cost-of-living measures as it means people notice the absence of previously available, but temporary, supports in their pockets. It may also help stave off renewed fuel protests over the summer as Ireland takes on the presidency of the Council of the European Union.As Horgan-Jones reports, the Government will decide before the end of the month whether to extend the reductions on petrol and diesel, which have brought the price of a litre down at the pump by 27 and 32 cent respectively.On Tuesday, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said the Government did not want to see a “big upward increase” in energy or oil prices that could have an impact on consumers and businesses.He added that the Government was “very aware of the concerns and the need to ensure there isn’t any major increase in prices affecting people between the end of July and the budget”.One Cabinet source said they believed it was likely there would be a full or partial extension of the excise cuts.A second senior Minister said an extension of the cuts was “extremely likely”. Other senior sources were more guarded, merely saying a decision had not yet been made. Amid fears that fuel protesters could target the running of events around the State’s upcoming presidency of the council of the European Union, Chambers said “no protester should seek to threaten or undermine critical infrastructure across the State”.Best ReadsOur lead story by Jack Power and Jade Wilson is on the heatwave in Europe and how the public has been urged to stay safe as temperatures pushed above 40 degrees in some places. Here, a Met Éireann high-temperature alert kicked in at noon on Tuesday and runs until Friday, with a daily high of 28.3 degrees recorded at the Phoenix Park in Dublin. The Government’s Occupied Territories Bill, which does not include a ban on the trade of services, will not be fully compliant with international human rights law, Ellen Coyne reports. This emerged at a committee meeting on Tuesday where Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee was also asked to offer clear evidence of the Government’s reasons for excluding services from the high-profile Bill, amid claims that Ministers are trying to avoid “annoying the Americans”. A set of “concrete proposals” being prepared by the European Commission to restrict social media access to children under 16 would be more coherent and powerful than individual states going it alone, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and president of the EU Parliament Roberta Metsola have said. Harry McGee was at their joint press conference. Miriam Lord’s report on proceedings in the Dáil on Tuesday focuses on how Leaders’ Questions was dominated by accounts of the ordeal of women abused as children by principal and predator Leo Hickey.The Dublin Airport passenger cap would result in an immediate cut of more than four million passengers a year if enforced, the Minister for Transport told the Dáil as he introduced legislation to remove the limit. Marie O’Halloran has the story.PlaybookThere is an opportunity for TDs to ask topical questions at 9am.A motion from the Independent and Parties Technical Group on State responsibility for foundation retention risk in defective concrete homes will be debated at 10am.Leaders’ Questions is at noon. Government business in the afternoon, from 2.57pm, includes statements on Pride and legislation on regulating artificial intelligence.The weekly Dáil votes are at 10.26pm.The Seanad will debate a Private Members’ Motion on an overnight levy for tourist accommodation at 7.15pm.The Joint Committee on Drug Use is launching a report at 9am.The Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy will examine how small nuclear reactor technology could be used in Ireland from 9.30am.Officials from the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive will be before the Committee on Health at 9.30am.“Breaking barriers – disability and financial inclusion” is the topic for the Committee on Disability Matters at 9.30am. TDs and Senators will hear from the banking sector and Sage Advocacy.The Committee on Social Protection will discuss pathways to inclusive employment from 9.45am.Minister of State for Transport Seán Canney will be before the Committee on Transport to be quizzed about supplementary estimates (extra funding) for his department and legislation related to the Dublin Transport Authority. The meeting starts at 12.20pm.The Committee on Enterprise will hear from Play Activity and Leisure Ireland on competitiveness and the cost of doing business, also at 12.30pm.The allocation, roles and training needs of special education teachers and special needs assistants will be considered by the Committee on Education at 12.30pm.Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne will brief the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the priorities of the Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union at 3.30pm.Representatives of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission will be at the Committee on Finance to discuss the impact of the emergency of buy now, pay later companies providing credit in the Irish market at 3.30pm.The full Dáil, Seanad and committee schedules can be found here.