Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

So the Minister will push ahead with pushing up petrol and diesel prices on 1 August and again in October despite his predecessor giving indications that this was likely not to happen. That would be my reading of it in terms of the language and tone he was using. That is really disappointing. Petrol prices are 23% higher than three years ago. Diesel prices are 28% higher. We have never brought in as much tax on these two areas than we have now. I am aware that the Government's policy is to push up these prices on ordinary families but we disagree with the Government on that policy. It is the wrong thing and it is just making families poorer. I urge the Minister to bring a resolution before the Dáil.

I heard him say on radio this morning that he was bringing the budget forward to 1 October and suggesting that it was due to a calendar clash in Europe. That is laughable. I have been the Opposition finance spokesperson for 14 years. September is the crucial month for taxation and the Minister knows that. Companies have to file for September. The reason a White Paper is not published until the Friday before a budget is the input of the September tax results is needed. The Government is going into this budget without sight of the September expenditure or revenue figures. That is okay but let us not pretend that it is for anything else. Let us not pretend it is for anything other than to potentially pave the way for an early election. There is a reason other finance Ministers were very clear on this down throughout the years. September is crucial. It is a time when companies pay their corporation tax rates-----

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