Danny Healy-Rae Blasts Carbon Taxes, Demands Diesel Rebate
Danny Healy-Rae spoke on 10 Nov 2021 about the rising cost of energy and fuel, arguing that taxes and carbon charges make up more than half the price and calling for a doubled diesel rebate for commercial transport. He criticised recent closures of peat-fired stations and the government focus on offshore energy, warning that households, farmers and transport operators are facing steep cost increases.
Taxes and retail margins
Healy-Rae said that around sixty pounds in every hundred spent on fuel, diesel, petrol and home heating oil is paid in taxes, including carbon taxes, and that retailers and transport add further margins. He claimed an outsized share of the pump price is taken in taxes and retail charges and criticised the use of collected carbon revenues for other purposes.
Energy policy and plant closures
He argued that governance appears to be relying on offshore energy that may not materialise for more than a decade and criticised the closure of peat-fired generating capacity. He accused the government of shutting down Borna Mone and other generating points without replacing them, mentioned Shannon LNG and local stations, and warned of reduced domestic generation capacity.
Fuel and electricity price rises
Healy-Rae listed recent increases in energy costs, saying electricity prices have risen after 35 increases and are up almost a fifth, gas has risen about 14%, and home heating oil has gone up 50% - citing a move from 38 to 84 since this time last year. He noted the additional cost of importing electricity and the carbon footprint of long-distance supply.
Impact on households, farming and transport
He warned that higher energy costs are pushing households, social welfare recipients and pensioners into hardship and risking inadequate heating. He highlighted rising diesel costs eroding farm margins, and said commercial transport cost increases drive up the price of goods and services across the economy.
Relief measures sought
Healy-Rae called for targeted relief for industry, urging an increase in the diesel rebate for commercial operators from 7.5 cents to 15 cents to help keep goods and services moving. He pressed for measures to protect vulnerable households from fuel poverty and the health risks of inadequate heating.
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Thank you. I am glad to get an opportunity to talk on this very, very serious matter. It is affecting every man, woman and child, and everyone is suffering because of the high cost of energy and fuel prices. Yes, worldwide costs have increased, but more than half the cost of fuel and energy is going in taxes to the government. Sixty pounds in every hundred spent on fuel, diesel, petrol, and home heating oil is paid in taxes, carbon taxes. The old Sheik out in Norrann or Iraq or wherever is get somewhere in the region of 15 euros, transport and retail make up the rest of it. The retail get about 350, that's the petrol stations. And remember, that is charged on top of all these carbon and other taxes, so you are taking the people for a ride, all right, but maybe you will run out of petrol also. So the government gave away 225 million last week in the name of climate change. This money was collected from carbon taxes that have pressed Irish people, were forced to pay and will be forced to pay. Governance appears to be hanging its coat on offshore energy, which may not happen for more than 10 years. So he closed down Borna Mone, he closed down the total money point and he had to open it again. He put nothing to replace the generating stations that he closed. He reposings Shannon LNG. He told us to buy electric cars and no place to plug them in, and it's very likely there will be no electricity in the places to plug in or go to charge them, because already in the last short while we've had eight more Ambrer left. So, and then we have Minister Ryan saying, oh yes, we'll bring in electricity, we'll have a connection to France and the UK. But we're all under the one sky. They have to generate electricity there too somehow, and it costs, it costs more to bring it from far away. Because there's a carbon footprint in that, we've had 35 electricity increases in the last few months. And it's up by almost 20%, a fifth. Imagine that, up by almost a fifth. Gas has gone up 14%, home heat oil has gone up 50%, from 38 since this time last year to 84 since now. So, you're closing down Borna Mona, Shannon Bridge and Lanesborough, and there's 10,000 acres of bog left in Lyttelton. All of that behind. And we're importing peat from Latvia and briquettes from Germany. And at the same time now, Minister, there's a special case being made for Romania because they're relying so much on coal, and they're going to be left, produce their coal, and sell it, and do what they like with it. But we can't cut the sod it off. We don't want us to cut the sod it off. Householders, people trying to heat their homes, can cope with the salvaging energy costs. Agriculture. Agriculture is going through, certainly the farmers are being put through the mill at the present time. The increased cost of diesel that has meant that the rolling costs of their tractors, jeeps, cars, and other works vehicles are costing way more to keep them rolling. These extra costs are eating way into their profit margins. Commercial transport. We rely on commercial transport for transport all our goods, as it has been said already before. And when the cost of transport goes up, the cost of everything else has gone up. And it is going up, Minister. So, what we are calling for is that in the commercial industry, that we increase the diesel rebate from 7.5 cents up to 15 cents. Double it. And give them a chance to keep going, because it is one thing. If we have to pay more for services, and for food, and for hardware, for things, but if we can't get them, that will be way more serious. So, people trying to heat their homes, and in a desperate way, Minister, and he left one serious crowd, people behind in the budget, people on social welfare benefit payments. They can get fuel allowance, and at the same time, they must pay examine the price for their fuel, and maybe let their homes without heating them, and they'll finish up coal, and getting pneumonia, and all the other kind of problems we'll get from our home and heat.
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