Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

It will increase the cost of transport in an area like mine where there is no rail or other form of transport. We depend on haulage transport to import and export our goods. County Monaghan has some of the largest poultry and pig meat producers in the country and I know a little about the costs involved. Increasing costs at a time those in the industry are losing at least 30% of their incomes means it is an additional tax. If the Minister had said the money would be used to deal with climate change, that would be another story but this is another form of taxation and, for that reason, I oppose it.

I refer to diesel for agriculture use. The Minister promised an deferral of the imposition of the tax in this regard until next May. In my part of the country, farmers do not cut silage until long after May. The Minister has had no mercy on them either.

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