Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, Martin Kenny TD, has urged government to scrap plans to increase excise duty on August 1st. This increase – the second in three months – will see petrol rise by 4c per litre and diesel rise by 3c per litre.
Speaking today, Teachta Kenny said:
“Tomorrow at midnight, hard-pressed workers and families are due to face another fuel price hike. This increase is being imposed on them by the government. Sinn Féin are clear that it must not go ahead.
“We are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, yet this government are happy to sit back and watch as another excise duty increase hits workers and families.
“This government has already introduced a hike in April which saw a rise in petrol by 4c per litre, and a 3c per litre rise in diesel. In the space of barely three months, that means motorists have seen their fuel increase by 8c and 6c per litre respectively.
“To expect people to take these increases on the chin just shows how out of touch this government is with workers and families who are doing their best, but are already struggling under a cost of living crisis that shows no signs of slowing down.
“In April, Sinn Féin urged the government to save the public from these increases. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens simply refused to listen.
“Fuel costs are already 30% higher than they were 3 years ago – which means the government’s overall tax take is 30% higher.
“What we need here is a common-sense approach towards these increases, and common-sense will tell you it simply shouldn’t go ahead.
“I am urging government to scrap their plans to impose these hikes, before they begin to hit workers’ wallets from midnight tomorrow.”
