Increased home heating cost as tax on solid fuels comes into effect

Concerns have been expressed over the welfare of the elderly as the introduction of a carbon tax on solid fuels comes into effect today.

The tax will add €1.20 to a 40kg bag of coal or smokeless fuel and 26c to a bale of briquettes (inc. VAT).

Finance Michael Noonan has said he to delay the imposition of the tax until now because of the potential impact on lower income households.

Advocacy Age Action has criticised the move, saying it will add even more hardship to the lives of older people.

They say up to 2,000 deaths can be attributed to the cold every winter.

Eamon Timmins, Head of Advocacy at Age Action, said older people have died because of the cold winters in recent years.

"We all need to heat our homes but older people have a much greater need for heat," he said.

"We have a winter death rate in Ireland of between 1,500 and 2,000 every winter, and these are mostly older people dying of cold-relate illness - heart attack, stroke and respiratory illness.

"We've just finished a series of consultation meetings around the country with our members, and at each of those meetings the price of fuel (has) been on the agenda."