Mineral Oil Tax: Financial Resolution
Dail Éireann — 2026-08-28
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Mary Lou McDonald (SF), Dublin Central

What the Government brings today is not a solution. It is kicking the can down the road. It is postponing the pain, not removing it. That is why we will oppose the Government motion today. That is why we have brought our own proposal, which would give certainty to workers who depend on their cars to get to work. It would give certainty to families struggling with household bills. It would give certainty to farming contractors, farmers, hauliers, tradespeople and small businesses. They need to know that the Government will not deliberately drive up petrol and diesel costs while international prices remain so high, not now and not in November.
Beyond these emergency measures, the Government of course must make practical progress towards clean, affordable energy and fuel sources. That is what will protect people from volatile international situations. It has to be said that Government's progress on this imperative has been literally at a snail's pace. The Tánaiste could have brought that certainty today but instead he has left the threat of higher prices hanging over people. This is an issue of political.choice. Sinn Féin would make different choices. I want to be very clear. We support stopping the September and October increases but we will not support a plan that simply moves those increases to November, December, January and February. These taxes have to be kept off while fuel prices remain high. Budget 2027 must deliver meaningful cost-of-living relief for workers and families. People deserve that certainty too. They deserve a break and they deserve a Government that stands with them, not one that has to be dragged, by us, into doing the right thing.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-08-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-31T01:00:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-08-28