“Energy Companies are Continuing to Gouge the Irish People” - Beasley
Aontú Representative Sarah Beasley has criticised the increase in operating profits of Bord Gáis and BP dividend hikes.
Speaking today, Beasley said, “Coming into the winter, people are seriously worried about covering their oil and fuel costs. At the same time, oil and gas companies continue to profiteer and squeeze Irish people for every last cent. In the first half of this year, Bord Gáis Energy saw its adjusted operating profits rise by 74%, despite its customers only increasing slightly. Similarly, BP had its highest adjusted second-quarter net income since 2008. While our people are suffering, oil companies are taking advantage of the situation”
Beasley continued, “The Irish government is no better, seizing the opportunity of the oil crisis to make more in taxes. The government now makes more on fuel tax than they did before the fuel crisis. On fuel alone, the government imposes four different taxes - excise Duty, Carbon tax, the NORA levy and VAT. Just excise duty adds 52c. With tax accounting for 46.09% and 41.47% for petrol and diesel respectively. As a result of profiteering and taxes, we’re seeing fuel costs at 220.7c per litre in some areas”
“Between the failure to tackle profiteering and the failure to adjust taxes to account for spiralling fuel prices, we cannot allow the Government to hide behind the excuses of international crises. This greed is putting people into the most heart-breaking situations, we cannot let it continue.” Beasley
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