Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

recognises that:

— workers and families continue to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis; and

— the prices of petrol and diesel have risen in the past number of months and are due to rise further, resulting in significantly increased travel costs for workers and families;

notes that:

— from March to August, average petrol and diesel prices increased by 7.6 and 9.9 per cent, respectively;

— on 1st September, the Government increased the price of petrol and diesel by 7 and 5 cent per litre, respectively;

— the Government have legislated to increase the price of petrol and diesel on 11th October, by a further 2 and 2.5 cent per litre, respectively; and

— the Government have legislated to increase the price of petrol and diesel on 31st October, by a further 8 and 6 cent per litre, respectively;

further notes with concern that:

— these combined increases in October will increase the price of petrol and diesel by more than 10 and 8 cent per litre, respectively; and

— the Government’s price increases alone will add hundreds of euros to average annual fuel costs for workers and families; and

calls on the Government to:

— reverse its plans to increase the price of petrol and diesel on 11th October; and

— reverse its plans to increase the price of petrol and diesel on 31st October.

Leanann oibrithe agus teaghlaigh ag streachailt ar fud an Stáit seo mar gheall ar an gcostas maireachtála. An mhí seo chugainn, ardóidh an Rialtas praghas peitril agus díosail tuilleadh le dhá ardú chéanna. Tagann seo sa mhullach ar arduithe a rinneadh ag tús na seachtaine seo nuair a ardaigh sé suas praghas peitril agus díosail arís. Tá Sinn Féin, sa rún seo anocht ag éileamh ar an Rialtas deireadh a chur leis an bplean atá aige le hardú praghsanna agus sos a thabhairt d'oibrithe agus do theaghlaigh.

Workers and families across the State are only too aware of the cost-of-living crisis and that it is far from over. The rate of inflation has eased but prices have not fallen and costs remain far too high for many households. For many, wages have failed to keep up with rising prices and households have tried their best to adjust their spending but many, as we read in today's newspapers, have fallen into real hardship. One in eight cannot even pay their energy bills. People do not expect the Government to shield them completely from every single price increase but nor do they expect the Government to make matters worse by increasing prices. That is exactly what this Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Government has done. That is what we are debating this evening. It is a Government that plans to hike fuel prices twice next month. It is simply a reality that in many areas, many workers and families, whether travelling to their places of work, for a hospital appointment, to leave their children to school or to visit a loved one, have no option other than to use a car.

According to the AA, the price of petrol has increased by 16 cent compared with August 2021 and diesel by 21 cent. In the past number of weeks, the cost of fuel has steadily increased, not just because of the market but because the Government increased it on 1 September. Households see this as the pumps and feel it in their pockets. On 1 September, the Government, in its wisdom, decided to increase the price of petrol at the pumps by 7 cent per litre and hiked up the price of diesel by another 5 cent per litre. Prices are now creeping up to the €2 per litre mark. This price creep is happening as households continue to grapple with all the rest, such as high energy bills, soaring mortgage costs, unaffordable rents and childcare fees.

Despite these pressures, the Government is determined to make matters worse. Next month, it plans not one but two tax hikes on petrol and diesel, pushing petrol and diesel prices up for workers and families. This Government will push prices higher on 11 October and again on 31 October. On 11 October, the Government plans to put up the price of petrol by 2 cent and the price of diesel by 3 cent. On 31 October, it plans, as a Government, to push up the price of petrol further by another 8 cent per litre and the price of diesel by another 6 cent per litre. It has legislated for all of this; it is already law.

Taken together, the Government's drive to increase fuel prices will add hundreds of euro to the travel costs of households per annum, pushing fuel prices closer towards the €2 per litre mark at the pump. Workers and families will rightly ask themselves why, as the cost of living remains so high, this Government is determined to make matters worse for them, to make the school run more expensive, to take more money out of workers' pockets as they travel to work and to increase the cost to citizens who visit their loved ones.

In March, I warned the Government these tax increases needed to be kept under close review as the risk of further price rises at the pumps remained a real prospect. The Government did not heed that warning. It is time for it to do so. The Government needs to change course, and that is what the motion calls for. The Government needs to understand the financial pressure households are under and scrap its out-of-touch plan to increase petrol and diesel prices not once, but twice next month. The motion calls on the Government to scrap its plan to hike the excise on petrol and diesel on 11 October and again on 31 October. Both planned price hikes must be scrapped.

Workers and families continue to struggle under a cost-of-living crisis and the Government should be supporting households rather than making matters worse. That is the simple thing. If the Government understood where people are at, it would understand that many of them are put to the pin of their collar. Ministers sitting around the Cabinet table have decided to launch two tax increases on petrol and diesel on workers and families in the State. I can tell the Minister of State that what workers do not need is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael petrol and diesel tax hikes. What they need is a break. I am calling on the Minister of State and all Deputies to support the motion before the House.

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