'People are at a breaking point' with price increases, says Donegal TD

Donegal TD and Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty, has said that the government must commit today to no further increases in excise duty on petrol and diesel while prices remain high.

Speaking ahead of the recall of the Dáil, Deputy Doherty said: “Sinn Féin’s position is clear. There must be a realisation that there can be no further increases in excise duty on petrol and diesel while prices remain high, not now and not in November. We need a government that will bring forward a cost-of-living package. That is where today's discussion needs to be, reflecting the lived experiences of people across this state.”

Teachta Doherty said: “The only reason that the Dáil is sitting today is that the public made it very clear that they will not tolerate the government’s plan to start increasing petrol and diesel by 34 cent and 29 cent on September 1st.

“But the government still does not get it. It is clear from the cabinet meeting that they will use today's sitting as an exercise in kicking the can down the road, and it will be ordinary workers who will end up carrying the cost.

“It is not good enough to postpone these increases until November. There must be a realisation that there can be no further increases in excise duty on petrol and diesel while prices remain high, whether it’s now, November or next year. The government needs to understand this.

“There must also now be serious questions about this government’s daft policy to increase the tax on petrol and diesel every year between now and 2030. It is an experiment that has failed, that is making people across the state poorer, and making their lives harder in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.

“Sinn Féin told government that this is what would happen. In March, when the price of diesel and petrol went up, I produced legislation to reduce the cost of excise. At that time, I said that it should be reviewed on a weekly basis, looking at international costs, and taking on board the cost-of-living pressures the communities we represent are under.

“Instead, what the government decided to do was plough on and say they will add further excise duty in the future. They are now adamant that they are going to put more tax on top of petrol and diesel, and appear hell-bent on doing that in November.

“There is no way that Sinn Féin will support an increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel when these prices remain high, and there is no way that the public will tolerate a repeat of this in November.

“This is precisely why Sinn Féin voted against the government’s measures in March. At that time, the Minister for Finance said Sinn Féin was isolated as a party, and he was right. No other political party took the position that we did.

“But the problem for government is that Sinn Féin was actually listening to the public, understanding the pressure people are under. Thousands of people took to the streets because the government did not do enough.

“That sentiment remains today. Prices continue to go up, not just fuel, but everything else as well. People are at breaking point so the government needs to start listening.

“We cannot control what happens to the international market – that is outside of our control. But what we can control is the amount of tax and levies that we place on petrol and diesel, and Ireland now charges some of the highest taxes in the European Union.

“So Sinn Féin’s position is clear: While these prices remain high, there can be no further tax increases. We need a government that will bring forward a cost-of-living package. That is where today's discussion needs to be, reflecting the lived experiences of people across this state.”