Tánaiste Simon Harris Signals Household Fossil Fuel Transition Support, Personal Tax Package

Tánaiste Simon Harris announced that the government will introduce supports for households to transition away from fossil fuels. Speaking at the Youth of the European People’s Party council meeting, Harris emphasized the need for national and European governments to incentivize changes that reduce reliance on imported fuels and lower energy bills.

He stated that lessons from the invasion of Ukraine regarding energy independence were not fully learned, and governments must not repeat past mistakes. This follows the EU Commission's announcement of a package to lower energy costs, providing governments with more capacity for additional supports. The Taoiseach also confirmed a substantial support package for the agriculture and transport sectors next week.

Harris indicated that practical supports and one-off measures would help people transition at their own pace, stressing that households and small businesses should not bear the burden alone. These measures include targeted grants, accessible financing, and infrastructure investment in retrofitting homes, expanding renewable energy, and improving the electricity grid.

Additionally, Harris confirmed that this year’s budget will include a personal tax package to assist people and ensure work pays. He noted that the pace of these changes over the government's remaining four budgets would be guided by economic analysis. Further energy credits are currently under review.