Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Rising fuel prices are a significant factor in the current deep recession in the Irish economy. They are pushing up the prices of goods and services and decreasing demand and spending. Producers, service providers and retailers are being hit hard. Consumers also know the cost, as does everyone dependent on transport to get to work. The overall effect on the economy is stagnation and decline, with a resulting fall in tax revenue.

For the hauliers on whom we depend totally for our imports and exports, the problem has become acute. The Irish Road Haulage Association has said that so-called tanker tourism is now widespread, with trucks leaving Ireland with the minimum of fuel in the tank and filling up abroad. This entails a major loss of revenue for the State. For motorists the situation is equally serious. Household budgets have been hit with blow after blow by this and the previous Government. New flat-rate taxes and stealth charges are piling huge pressure on low- to middle-income families. Add to this the rising price of fuel, and there is real hardship. This is especially the case for those who are totally dependent on their cars for work, study or access to services. Outside our cities, the public transport network in this State is nothing less than appalling. In nearly 14 years in Government, Fianna Fáil failed to develop a proper public transport network for rural Ireland, failing even to reopen existing railway lines as promised, and left us with a bus network little better than when they came to office.

According to figures published by the Automobile Association last week, the State-wide average price of a litre of unleaded petrol is now 164.9 cent - I would drive anywhere to find that price, if I could - which is an increase of 2.8 cent compared to the figure for March. Diesel also rose by 2.2 cent to its new record high of 159.9 cent per litre. These are average figures across the State. I have had to pay up to 5 cent more than that average figure for a litre of unleaded petrol in recent days - that is, 169.9 cent. It is scandalous. The average motorist now pays an estimated €226 for fuel in a month, of which €127.77, or 57%, is tax. That figure is €30 higher than it was just last October. According to the Minister for Finance in reply to a question I asked last week in the Dáil, 32.3% of the price of petrol and 26.5% of the price of diesel is excise duty. These prices rises fall most heavily on those who depend on their cars to commute to work or must use vehicles as an integral part of their businesses. It is undoubtedly a key factor in closing many businesses. The figures I have cited reflect the severe difficulties caused to hauliers - I would particularly like to reflect on them - and to the wider economy by rising fuel costs. This needs to be tackled by the Government.

Everything should be put on the table, including prices at the pumps and the level of excise duty. I emphasise, as I have done here before, the urgent requirement - I say this with all the strength I can command - to tackle the reprehensible diesel laundering racket, which I absolutely reject. Despite an earlier speaker's commentary, this is not confined to one area of the country; the beneficiaries could very well be anywhere from Donegal to Cork, and all places in between, and people need to wake up to that fact. These people need to be rooted out and this outrageous activity finished once and for all.

I appeal to the Minister of State and his colleagues in Government to go further than this Bill provides. The Bill does not go far enough, especially for diesel. Road hauliers are being severely hit, jobs are being lost, and worse will follow. Ultimately, we are all paying and will continue to pay the price.

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