Dáil debates

Wednesday, 26 January 2011

Finance Bill 2011: Committee Stage

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I agree with my colleague, Deputy Noonan, concerning this tax. The price of diesel and petrol is having a terrible effect on rural Ireland. I have often put on the record of the Dáil my belief that the Green Party's carbon tax is simply a tax on rural Ireland. It is not right. This winter, people needed to buy fuel to cope with the cold weather. Deputy Noonan made a valid point. If oil is $90 per barrel, the Government and the country have not dealt with the problem of the price we pay at the pumps. We are being ripped off again. It is the old thing of rip-off Ireland at every opportunity. In the week prior to the heavy snow and before we were promised bad weather, I bought two bags of salt for €7. The following week, I went to the same place on behalf of a neighbour and found that the price had increased to €7 per bag. This is the reason our country is the way it is. At every opportunity, we rip one another off.

We all want to be environmentally friendly, but a carbon tax affects people's pockets and we in rural Ireland need our cars or other vehicles. We do not have Dublin Bus, the Luas or other forms of public transport.

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