Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move recommendation No. 17:

In page 104, to delete lines 16 and 17 and substitute the following:

“

”.

As the Leas Cathaoirleach has just said, recommendations Nos. 17 to 21, inclusive, are all related. Recommendation No.17 reduces the excise duty applicable to petrol, diesel and home heating oil to the minimum permissible under the energy tax directive, which is €359 for petrol, €330 for diesel and €0 for home heating oil per 1,000 l. Recommendation Nos. 18 to 20, inclusive, deal with the issue of the carbon tax, which is applied to home heating oil and which is due to take effect in 2023. Our recommendations seek to ensure that this measure does not come into effect, together with the reduced rate of excise applied to agri-diesel being extended to October 2023, in light of the increased fuel costs that are impacting the agricultural sector. The Finance Bill provides for the extension of the existing mineral oil tax reductions on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil. The reductions in mineral oil provided for VAT-inclusive per litre reductions of 21%, 16% and 5 cent on petrol, diesel and mineral gas oil, respectively. These reductions were introduced in March 2022 and were due to end on 12 October. Our recommendation will extend the reduced rates for a further 20 weeks until 28 February.

Given the cost-of-living crisis, we are seeking to reduce the burden on households in terms of their home heating oil and also the carbon tax. I note that even Deputy Hourigan, now a member of the Green Party, has openly said that consumption-based taxes are not effective and that the Government should reassess its approach to them.