Government says budget will overtake Sinn Féin carbon tax bill

Supports due to be announced in Budget 2027 will supersede a Sinn Féin bill seeking to remove carbon tax from home heating fuels, Dáil told

Pearse Doherty: 'Too many families are struggling out there, too many families are stretched to the limit, and too many people are wondering how they will afford their next delivery of oil and are, right now, sitting in homes with empty tanks.' File picture

A Sinn Féin bill that would remove the carbon tax from home heating amid the ongoing fuel crisis would be superseded by the budget, the Dáil was told in a fiery debate on Tuesday.

Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty brought the bill to the Dáil. He said: "Too many families are struggling out there, too many families are stretched to the limit, and too many people are wondering how they will afford their next delivery of oil and are, right now, sitting in homes with empty tanks."

His colleague, Kerry TD Pa Daly, told the Dáil the move would remove carbon tax from home heating oil and cut the cost of a 1,000-litre fill by €183. 

He said it "is a simple measure" at a time when oil prices "have also soared by over €700 and household budgets are under unbearable pressure, that is not only justified; it is essential".

Junior enterprise minister Alan Dillon said that with the budget just two weeks away, the Government "will use the resources available to help people who work hard and who want to get ahead and not simply get by".

He said the Sinn Féin bill would "reduce the Government's flexibility to target limited resources" and "also raises serious legal and policy questions".

Meanwhile, at Leaders’ Questions on Tuesday, there were barbs thrown between Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil over carbon tax rates.

Public expenditure minister Jack Chambers accused Sinn Féin of seeking to “politicise everything”, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Government was running a “go-slow” operation on cutting carbon tax on home heating oil.

Ms McDonald cited legislation from Sinn Féin, introduced on Tuesday, to remove carbon tax on home heating oil

“It's time now to stop talking about all of the things you can't control, and time to act on the things that you can. And that means cutting taxes to bring down fuel prices,” Ms McDonald said.

Mr Chambers said the Government was aware of the “serious pressure” faced by families, adding the budget was coming within the next two weeks.

He described the Sinn Féin legislation as “political opportunism”.