Government should scrap planned carbon tax hike, Brid Smith says

The Government should scrap plans to introduce a public carbon tax in the coming budget and not impose any new taxes on "ordinary citizens" until a new fuel poverty review is launched, a left-wing Dáil group says.

Solidarity-People Before Profit called for the budget switch, insisting that the only carbon taxes in the coming budget should be focused on oil and gas industry firms instead of ordinary people "forced to bear the brunt" of the costs.

As part of widely-flagged plans, Fine Gael intends to increase the carbon tax in next month's budget, with a potential figure of €6-10 per tonne suggested.

Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, indicated last week that he is in favour of a small carbon tax rise, likely to be in the region of €6, while Green party leader, Eamon Ryan, said that she wants to see a €20 increase.

The need for new taxes to help combat climate action is backed across almost all of the political spectrum, due to growing fears over the environmental crisis facing the planet and the increased voter attention the issue is receiving.

However, speaking on Monday afternoon, Solidarity-People Before Profit TD, Bríd Smith, said that while her group supports carbon taxes they must not target vulnerable people.

Ms Smith said no carbon tax rise for the public should be introduced until a fuel poverty review takes place to find out exactly how it would affect the poorest people in Ireland.

She said the Government should instead focus all of its carbon tax rises on the oil industry, gas industry and related companies - and accused officials of "reneging" on previous agreed plans to launch a fuel poverty review earlier this year.

This review was promised as part of the all-party climate change committee, it was one of the measures that was contained but was completely ignored.

"I want to see it [a fuel poverty review] immediately, and it should be done before there's any attempt to increase the carbon tax in the budget. That is what was committed to and that is what has been reneged on," Ms Smith said.

Asked if she has any figure for the level of carbon tax she wants to see imposed on companies, the Solidarity-People Before Profit TD said: "I don't have a figure on that, but obviously we'd be looking for the maximum tax on profit as possible.

There shouldn't be an increase for ordinary people, but there should on the profits of the fossil fuel industry and related industries like aviation and plastics.

Latest figures show that approximately 28% of the population suffers from some form of fuel poverty, with a number of farming, parent and Travelling community groups supporting Ms Smith's concerns on Monday.

The Oireachtas cross-party climate change committee agreed earlier this year to instigate a fuel poverty review by June due to the push for carbon tax rises in the budget.

However, despite a stand-off between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on the issue earlier this year - with Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley supporting the review at the time - it has yet to take place.