‘Car not a luxury’ in Donegal blasts Doherty after petrol and diesel excise duty hike

The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson said increases of four cents on petrol and three cents on diesel that took effect on April 1 would put further pressure on families, particularly in Donegal and other rural districts.

“In my county of Donegal - I come from the west of the county- and in many other parts of the country, a car is not a luxury. A car is the only way people can get from their home to their place of work, the only way they can drop their kids to a hospital or dental appointment, or get to the supermarket. Not all of us live in cities with options like the DART, Luas and buses. Motorists are being punished,” he said.

The Finance Minister, in response, pointed out that significant reductions in excise had been introduced by the government in 2022 and that this had been ‘absolutely warranted and justified by the circumstances at the time’.

He said he would ‘keep the situation under review in the lead up to the planned final phase of the restoration that is due to happen at the beginning of August’.

"This is the restoration of a cut in excise that the Government had implemented to provide relief to businesses and households back in 2022,” he stated.

Deputy Doherty claimed the increases were not required because of the large budget surpluses currently being enjoyed by the State at present.

"When people stop off at a petrol station in Gweedore or in Dublin and put a litre of petrol into their car, €1 of what they pay goes to the Revenue Commissioners.

"The Government has decided to increase that amount. It is doing so at a time when those resources are not required by the State, when the State is about to record a surplus of €11 billion.

"Petrol and diesel prices have been higher, admittedly, but diesel prices are still 40% higher and petrol prices are still 30% higher than they were three years ago. I have always said that petrol and diesel prices and the taxes we levy on them must be kept under constant review.

"What I am saying now is that the Minister made the wrong decision last week to increase the cost of petrol and diesel,” he said.

But Mr. McGrath hit back and claimed that Sinn Féin had previously said it would it would support full restoration.

“The Deputy should also be honest and acknowledge what his policy is in respect of this matter. His policy, as set out at budget time, was that there would be full restoration this month.

"The Sinn Féin policy was, at the time of budget 2024, that petrol would go up by 8 cent, diesel by 6 cent, and marked gas oil by 3.4 cent in the month of April. The party said it would keep it under review and so on,” the minister said.

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