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

I have never felt so ashamed for the public as when I heard today about this announcement of a paltry decrease of just 15 cent and 20 cent for fuel, something that was swallowed up overnight in most of the filling stations, and just 2 cent for tractor diesel. My telephone is blocked with voice messages and text messages from men and women who cannot take any more. To take many over the edge, there will not be any decrease in the cost of home heating oil for many suffering families. This is shameful. The Government has been stumbling from one embarrassing cock-up to another. If these cock-ups were at its own expense, it would not be too bad, but they are at the expense of the people who are suffering due to the cock-ups. For every €2 of petrol, the Government grabs €1 in tax. It is almost the same with diesel. For every €2 of fuel the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party Government grabs 98 cent in tax.

The Rural Independent Group has pleaded with the Dáil for months about the crucifying taxes on fuel. Contractors, farmers, hauliers and bus operators are facing a huge crisis and the Minister for Transport's solution is to tell people to drive slowly. This is the type of mad mindset that is brainwashing the mindset of this crippling Government. I have a question for the Minister. Is the Government going to inflict the next carbon tax increase on the Irish people? If it does, it will be wipeout for many, if it is not wipeout already. Stop blaming the war.

The Minister pushed carbon tax on a country that was trying to cope with the fallout from Brexit and the fallout from Covid-19. Ireland needed time to recover and the Minister followed Green Party policy. Deputies in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael followed Green Party policy and turned their backs on the ordinary living people of Ireland.

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