Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This Sinn Féin motion is calling on the Government not to introduce planned increases in carbon tax in May this year and I agree. My question is why in God's name Sinn Féin is putting this motion forward when it had a chance to vote against the carbon tax Bill and did not do so. That question needs to be answered. Sinn Féin cannot change its mind as the wind blows. It has to pick a side. It is either on the side of the Government or on our side, the only Opposition in this Dáil.

I stood in the Dáil during a previous discussion on carbon tax and I said, much like de Valera said about Collins, namely, "It’s my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record the greatness of Collins and it will be recorded at my expense", that it is my considered opinion that in the fullness of time history will record this carbon tax Bill as being the worst Bill that ever came out of Dáil Éireann because it inflicts pain on the people of rural Ireland that I represent. I and my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group have been the only political grouping in the Dáil completely opposed to every facet of the carbon tax. We have warned of its deep negative impact for a number of years. We forecast that the current cost of living crisis would emerge. We are now watching others who want to join us in tackling this deeply regressive form of taxation before it completely destroys the country and its people.

Carbon tax is the key contributory factor to the rising cost of living and is having a bruising impact on the price of electricity and home fuels, together with petrol and diesel. Furthermore, we do not buy the Government's argument that the carbon tax goes back to the people in the form of income supports, such as the fuel allowance and help for low-income farmers to improve their environmental practices. After all, those supports were already in place long before the carbon tax. Furthermore, farmers are being crucified with carbon tax and not a single cent from the carbon fund has been allocated to that sector in 2022.

Sinn Féin should get off the fence and join the only real Opposition in Dáil Éireann, the only real group that stands and speaks for the people. We speak for the people who are frozen in their homes and tell me in my clinics and on my phone week in, week out that they cannot deal with the cold in their homes thanks to the Green Party, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. It is a disgraceful decision. Sinn Féin failed to turn that around last week. It could have turned it around and helped people, but it failed to do so.

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