Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

I understand these sections address excise rates and a number of other matters. I am particularly interested in the provisions on excise rates in respect of hydrocarbon products. The Green Party's position was to seek to impose carbon taxes on various items, but differentiating between carbon taxes, excises and VAT impositions is difficult, given that all three apply to hydrocarbons. What are the proportions of excise, VAT and carbon tax levied on, for example, a litre of petrol or diesel?

I drive a diesel car and I find diesel to be more expensive now than it was last year. A barrel of oil costs approximately $90 whereas it cost $140 just prior to this time last year, yet what we pay at the pumps now is significantly more than what it was then. This despite the fact that the price of the raw material has almost dropped by 50%. In Ireland, the higher prices must be attributable to new taxes. Since the Government went easy on its excise increases, which would kick on into VAT, the new carbon tax introduced on the proposal of the Green Party must be causing the difficulty. The middle of a recession when jobs are being lost hourly is not a great time to increase the costs to industry and to employment. Does the Minister of State possess a breakdown, Schedule or other information that shows which elements of the price are excise, VAT and carbon tax?

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