In advance of addressing the Price of Fuel protest in O’Connell Street Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín stated that:
“To put it in very simple terms, many families and businesses cannot afford fuel. Many builders, farmers, contractors, truck drivers, fishermen cannot stay in business at these price points. These diesel dependent businesses are the people that keep the country going and they are seeing their life’s work crumbling around them. They are seeing their ability to put food on the table crumbling around them.
While the war in Iran is, for sure, behind the spike in fuel prices, this government is still the key driver of the enormous prices that are being charged for petrol, diesel and kerosene in Ireland. The government is responsible for majority of the price of fuel.
Over 60% of the cost of a litre of petrol, today is tax paid to the government, 114 cent per litre. That’s astounding. Fuel taxes reached a record €4.3bn last year. This is the highest tax take by the government on fuel in the history of the state. Indeed, Carbon tax reached €1.17bn, again another record.
Carbon tax is a full 80% higher now than it was just 5 years ago. These figures don’t include tax on electricity which is estimated to be another €300m. These are eye watering figures, they are only going one way and they are a major part of the problem.
It is absolutely within the gift of the government to cut fuel tax further. A key foundation of taxation is that the citizen must have an ability to pay. The government are charging a tax on a staple product that people simply do not have the ability to pay. This is pushing people into poverty. Its is closing businesses and hammering struggling families. Progressive taxes mean that the more people earn, the more they pay. Carbon tax is the opposite of this. It is ignorant of ability to pay. Indeed, it hits those on lower incomes the hardest.
The government must suspend all Carbon tax increases, it is beyond belief given the current circumstances that the government intend to increase carbon taxes in 4 weeks’ time. The rebate scheme that was given to licenced hauliers needs to be extended to other businesses heavily dependent on diesel. HVO needs to be included in the rebate scheme.
This is an organic campaign. It was organised and originated from the people affected themselves. My worry is, that if the government remain actionless, many businesses will close and we will see these protests happen again and again”. The government must act now”.
