Aontú TD and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has submitted parliamentary questions to each Minister and Junior Minister asking how much Carbon will their St Patrick’s Day foreign travel emit. An Teachta Tóibín seeks this information before the government consider hiking up Carbon taxes on May 1st. An Teachta Tóibín stated.
“Carbon tax on fuel is at an all-time record high. Well over a billion euro will be collected by the government on carbon tax this year. Prices at the pumps and with home heating oil deliveries are spiking because of the war in Iran. Its taking €130 to fill a tank with petrol and diesel and this could increase to €150. Yet incredibly this government plan to increase Carbon tax in a few weeks’ time. This is completely immoral in my view as working families, with no public transport alternatives are to the pin of the collars.
The plan to increase carbon tax is even more obscene when you take into consideration the government is sending nearly every single minister to the four corners of the world this St Patrick’s Day. These trips will include in many cases husbands, wives, partners and staff. They will likely include business class and 1st class trips. It is estimated that Ministers emitted 185 tonnes of carbon for St Patrick’s day in 2023. It is likely to be far more this year.
Ministers burning up carbon flying to every continent in the world on trips of dubious benefits have a hard neck increasing carbon tax to struggling families just trying to get to work. We demand that the government suspend future carbon tax increases and reduce carbon taxes immediately to take the pressure off the family”. CRIOCH
- To ask the Minister for Justice how much carbon will be emitted by all members of his staff and himself on all transport and related actions undertaken during their St Patrick’s trips this year.
- To ask the Minister for Justice how much carbon will be emitted by all Junior Ministers in his department and their members of staff on all transport and related actions they undertake during their St Patrick’s trips this year.
- To ask the Minister for Justice has the Minister paid to offset any of the carbon emitted because of these trips. If so how much has he paid?
- To ask the Minister for Justice how much carbon has been emitted by transport by himself, the junior Ministers in his department and their staff for each of the last 5 years. Has the Minister paid to offset any of the carbon emitted because of transport. If so how much has he paid in each year?
