Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Programme for Government signals that a carbon tax/levy will be introduced over the lifetime of this Government. The matter of the introduction of a carbon tax is one of the issues to be considered by the new Commission on Taxation to be established under the Programme.

Consequently, at this stage, the precise design of such a tax has yet to be determined. This will, of course, form an important part of the normal deliberative process of the Government in setting fiscal and environmental policy. Deputies will recall, however, that the Programme for Government indicates that the phasing-in of a carbon levy will be on a revenue neutral basis, so it is not intended that its introduction will lead to any net Exchequer revenue increase or net addition to the overall tax burden.