Aontú will be supporting the motion brought forward by my colleagues in Independent Ireland. As someone from a rural constituency, I know the hardships and difficulties that a high cost of fuel imposes on rural constituencies. We need economic controls and supports that trigger automatically when price inflation and fuel inflation soars. We cannot continue the current system where small businesses have to take to the streets to protest for their livelihoods during times of price hikes. Of course, it is not by accident that the Government is so slow to act and move. Inflation equals higher tax revenue, which suits the Government. Periods of high inflation where prices and energy costs soar are actually favourable to tax revenue because of the tax instrument in terms of fuel, percentages and VAT. Through a parliamentary question, I have discovered that this Government is on track to take in €200 million more this year in carbon tax than last year. This will be the case even if the Government abandons the October increase in carbon tax. The carbon tax take is set to increase again. Every year, it is on an upward trajectory. According to figures released to Aontú, carbon tax is the second largest component of tax on fuel, second only to VAT, which is 23%. The motion before us here today is not an expensive one. It is basic arithmetic. If the price of a product doubles, then one can cut the tax on that product by half and expect to take in the same revenue as the previous year. I want to make the point very clearly that, back when Russia invaded Ukraine and the Government took steps to reduce tax on fuel, the overall tax take on fuel did not reduce. In fact, it increased from the previous year. The rate of inflation was such that the public purse did not take a hit despite the excise reduction. In March 2022, as a result of the war, the Government reduced excise duty from 20 cent to 15 cent on diesel and it began restoring excise duty in June 2023, yet between the years 2022 and 2023, the amount of tax taken by this Government actually increased by about €60 million despite the excise reduction. This is what the impact of inflation is doing and what this motion tries to correct. The amount taken in carbon tax on petrol and diesel increased by 20% to 25% each year while the measures were in place. Despite the reductions in excise duty, the Government actually came out of the situation significantly better off in terms of tax revenue. In March of this year, because of the spike in fuel prices that so many families and businesses were suffering, the Government took in an additional €6 million in excise duty compared with the same month last year. That was just one month. It is mind-boggling to think that the Government is still intent on increasing carbon taxes in October. Canada has reduced carbon tax to zero and Spain has reduced VAT on fuel to 10% while VAT in Ireland is still at 23%. The high taxation policy in relation to fuel is driving a rip-off republic. It is driving inflation in every single sector in this economy. In response to Aontú's calls for cutting carbon tax, the Taoiseach constantly made the assertion that we needed the funds for other climate action measures. However, further research that I have undertaken shows that the Government is unable to spend much of the carbon tax and is unable to spend the National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, levy. We support this motion and I thank my colleagues in Independent Ireland for bringing it forward.

Sentiment score: 0.08