Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty TD has called on the Minister for Finance to cancel his government’s out-of-touch plans to push ahead with two separate tax hikes on petrol and diesel in October.

The Government will increase the price of petrol and diesel with a hike in the carbon tax on 11^th October and further excise duty increase on 31^st October.

The Donegal TD warned that the Government is making the cost-of-living crisis worse for workers and families.

Speaking today, Teachta Doherty said:

“Petrol and diesel prices have increased steadily since May and have shot up in the past number of weeks.

“Despite these price rises, the Government pushed ahead with a tax hike on petrol and diesel on the 1^stof September.

“The Government plan to increase petrol and diesel prices again in October.

“First, on the 11^th of October with a hike in the carbon tax, and again on the 31^st of October with another increase in excise duty.

“These tax hikes will increase the price of a litre of petrol by 10 cents and the of a litre of diesel by more than 8 cents.

“As households continue to struggle under this cost of living crisis, hiking the transport costs is the wrong decision.

“I warned the Government that pressing ahead with these tax hikes was the wrong decision when prices and the international oil market remained volatile.

“It is time that they reversed course, heeded our concerns, and scrap their tax hikes on petrol and diesel that are due to take effect next month.”