Laois call for zero duty on home heating oil and a halt to the carbon tax

Laois Offaly Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has criticised government fuel tax cuts and called for zero duty on home heating oil. 

He wants duty on petrol and diesel prices reduced at the pump by 25 cents per litre overnight, and for excise duty to be removed entirely from home heating oil.

Deputy Stanley said the measures announced by government do not go far enough to alleviate the crisis facing worker families and businesses up and down the country. He was speaking after a 20 cent petrol and 15 cent diesel per litre price reduction was announced by government.  

“People in rural areas are carrying an exceptionally high burden at the moment and of particular concern is the failure of the Government to bring in any reduction in excise on home heating oil.

We all know the causes of these price spikes; fuelled by the brutal invasion of Ukraine. The Government can and must further act to reduc prices at the pump," insisted Deputy Stanley. 

Deputy Stanley said his party "are calling on the government to immediately reduce excise duty to zero on home heating oil. A third of Irish households heat their homes with oil and these workers and families have seen the price almost double since the start of the year. Removing excise duty from home heating oil would save a household nearly €100 for 1,000 litres of home heating oil."

The Governments plans to further hike up Carbon Taxes in May need to be halted, added Deputy Stanley. 

“The Government could introduce these measures and slash prices tonight through a Financial Resolution. That is precisely what we are calling for them to do. This is not a time for dithering or delay – it is a time for action," he said. 

The government must take action now, introduce these measures which Sinn Féin are proposing, and cut the cost of petrol, diesel and home heating oil immediately.”