The Irish government is set to reinstate excise on petrol, diesel, and marked oil to the rates that applied two years ago, resulting in a four-cent rise in the price of petrol and a three-cent rise in the price of diesel. Additionally, a 1.5 cent per litre increase in the price of fuel for use in non-road vehicles will also be introduced, with further increases expected in August.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has criticized the planned increase, stating that the government collected €3.8 billion in tax on fuel in 2023, the highest amount collected in the past decade. Tóibín accused the government of capitalizing on the rise in fuel prices and urged them to make changes to the taxation rates to ease the burden on people across the country.

Aontú was the only political party to vote against the climate action Bill in the Dáil, citing concerns that it would pave the way for a carbon tax unfairly penalizing farmers and workers. The Irish Road Haulage Association also condemned the scheduled increase in fuel tax, describing it as economic madness and criticizing the government for imposing additional costs on the road haulage sector.

As the government moves forward with the planned tax increases, concerns are mounting over the impact on consumers and various sectors of the economy. With ongoing debates surrounding fuel taxation and its implications, the public remains attentive to the government’s response to alleviate the financial strain on citizens and industries.