Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What I am discussing with the Tánaiste is an unfair tax on people who do not have access to public transport. Watch this now. There is tax in regard to VAT and the Tánaiste said the VAT receipts go up. The Government is taking 50% in tax on petrol and 44% in tax on diesel, when everything is included together. This applies to everyone who has to use a car, a van, a tractor, a truck or a motorbike to do whatever they have to do in an area where there is no public transport. This includes getting children to school in areas where the Government is unable to provide buses, such as in Dromcolliher. I mentioned during the week that 50 students were waiting on a bus and now we have 30 cars driving to Dromcolliher. This is an unfair tax on people carrying their children to school.

I am talking about SMEs in rural Ireland, which the Government seems to have given up on once it goes beyond the Red Cow roundabout. This is what I am talking about. I am talking about where I live in Limerick. I make no apologies for mentioning Limerick and the rural areas I represent. This is what I am here to do. I am here to ensure our people in our area are represented. An unfair tax from the Government, which is taking 50% on petrol and 44% on diesel, means it is only looking after people who have access to public transport. All the people in my area have to go to work and they are being taxed before they leave their houses every week.

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