Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister should be honest. This is not just about restoration and he knows that. He is not planning just to put it up as he did last week and as he will do again in August; he plans to put it up in October again, which is actually going further than what the amount involved was before the excise was reduced. I pointed out to him the pressure that this puts on ordinary individuals and motorists in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. That is why it should have been kept under review. He should not have gone ahead with the restoration on 1 April. He should not go ahead with it on 1 August. Neither should he go ahead with it in October, which is what he plans to do.

There are 390 fuel stations along the Border. The Minister's plan will means that petrol will be 20 cent cheaper across the Border. He talks about being honest and all the rest. I have been very clear. I told him that this had to be kept under review. He should look at how the price of petrol and diesel has been creeping up before he decides to jack it up even further. He should look at what the British Government has done in the context of extending the excise reduction. What does the Minister say to the owner of Lifford service station, whose customers will get their petrol 20 cent cheaper across the Border? How is that owner going to continue to employ 40 or 50 people? How will station owners in Ballyshannon, Ballybofey, Cavan or Dundalk continue to employ people? The 390 stations in question employ people.

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