Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has called on the Minister for Finance to implement Sinn Féin’s call to cancel his government’s plans for further tax hikes on petrol and diesel this year.

The Donegal TD was speaking as the price of petrol and diesel rose sharply this month, with fears prices could reach €2 per litre.

Teachta Doherty said:

“Households continue to struggle under the cost of living crisis.

“Today the AA announced that petrol and diesel prices rose sharply this month, with fears the cost of fuel could soon rise to €2 per litre.

“At the beginning of April, the government hiked the price of fuel for households and plans to do the same again in August and October.

“Instead of focusing all its efforts on reducing living costs, this government seems determined to increase them.

“If the government presses ahead with these tax hikes, Irish households will face among the highest fuel prices in Europe.

“Petrol prices will have risen by at least 10 cent per litre, with diesel prices set to rise by at least 8 cents per litre.

“As the gap between fuel prices North and South continue to widen, the very viability of businesses and petrol stations in border counties will be under threat, with petrol set to be 20 cent per litre and diesel set to be 7 cent per litre more expensive in the South compared to the North.

“Fuel prices have risen by more than 30 percent in the past three years – making the cost of travel even more expensive at this time is the wrong call.

“But this government is clearly out of touch with the financial pressures so many people are facing.

“It is time for the government to heed Sinn Féin’s call and scrap their planned tax hikes on petrol and diesel this year.”