Carbon tax during the crisis
Tóibín says the Taoiseach answers questions nobody asked and that 300,000 people are in electricity arrears, urging a cap on carbon tax increases during the crisis. The Taoiseach says Tóibín previously called for scrapping the tax, defends VAT cuts and fuel supports, and promises continued review on a sustainable basis.
The Taoiseach often answers questions nobody has asked in this situation on weekly basis. It is like a pretend debate where he answers questions that nobody has actually posed to him at all and he ignores the questions that are specifically posed to him. We are not looking to decrease the tax base. We are asking him to stop increasing the carbon tax base. That is what the actual question was. Right now 300,000 people in arrears on electricity bills in this country. How does it make the Taoiseach feel that he has families in a constant state of turmoil on the consumption of a basic staple? How does it make him feel that this is not an aberration? This is a permanent outcome of his energy policy in this country. Three hundred thousand people is an enormous number of people to be suffering significantly every single year in terms of energy. In May, the Government will put up the carbon tax on gas to €71 a tonne. In the middle of this energy crisis his strategy is to make it harder for those families to actually pay for gas and that will come back on the electricity that people pay for as well.
Comment on this
All I am asking the Taoiseach to do is to put a limit on carbon increases during this crisis.
Comment on this
Actually, the Deputy asked me in the first iteration – he can check it – to scrap it. That is what he said, so it is not a temporary limitation. He opposed it anyway.
Comment on this
Then why is he trying to pretend? He has opposed it from the beginning. He is just duplicitous in terms of his approach.
Comment on this
The Deputy will say whatever matters on the day to advance his position. He thinks electorally and politically. That is just what he does.
Comment on this
Could I just make the point that we did reduce VAT on electricity and gas bills from 13% to 9%-----
Comment on this
It is still the most expensive in Europe.
Comment on this
-----and we have extended that out to 2030. As I said, we have extended fuel allowance to 26% of the population. As I said, as this situation unfolds, we will keep this under review. We have always responded to people’s needs, as we did during the Ukrainian war crisis. We have to do so in a sustainable basis. That is our commitment - we will do it on a sustainable basis.