Sinn Féin Slams Government Over Home Heating Oil Excise Duty for 750,000

During Dáil Leaders’ Questions on Thursday, Sinn Féin criticized the Government for not cutting excise duty on home heating oil. Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty noted 750,000 households rely on it, accusing the Coalition of ignoring their pleas and "adding insult to injury" with parking fines for protesters. Tánaiste Simon Harris responded that the Government is working to assist people amidst global turmoil, and that the energy package benefits everyone. He added that Revenue officials concluded Sinn Féin's proposals "could result in an unjust enrichment of suppliers."

People Before Profit's Paul Murphy called for strikes, stating last week's demonstrations destabilized the Government. He criticized the Government's refusal of a €400 emergency payment for disabled people and proposed fuel price caps, free public transport, and a €500 energy credit per household, funded by levies on data centers and private jet operators. Harris countered that price caps don't work and that the Government package offers broader economic benefits, with rising "real wages" and the average weekly wage now over €1,000.

Labour's Ciarán Ahern said public protests showed the Government was "not getting it right," criticizing tax breaks for developers while PAYE workers lack support. He said the Government could "splash the cash" for developers and big landlords but there was no bailout for PAYE workers to protect their incomes and reduce their bills. He also criticized exempting critical infrastructure projects from the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. Harris maintained the Government's package "supports everyone," and that 49 percent of the State’s energy requirement had been generated through renewables.