Tax Rebates
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-21
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

I will make a couple of points. We are not refusing to listen and we are certainly not refusing to act. We have brought in one of the largest packages of support in the European Union. That is a statement of fact. That is the right thing to do because our economy enables us to.
Second, I do not say this to be argumentative but, on diesel, the advice available to me is that we have actually gone further than the energy tax directive allows. We have had to write to Europe to seek a derogation in that regard. That is genuinely advice that has been made available to me. We have gone further than we should have under the EU energy tax directive, such is the scale of the challenge around diesel.
Third, I am answering the specific question the Deputy tabled, No. 231, which relates to the diesel rebate scheme. This is a very valuable scheme. Hauliers value it and farm contractors sought it. The sector sees value in the scheme. The Deputy asked me what I thought was a very legitimate question and I am endeavouring to answer it in good faith. He asked whether there is a better way of administering the scheme. The specific question I was asked was whether we should look at trying to provide the benefit of this scheme as a direct cut. The advice available to me suggests that would not be the most effective way to go about it and that it could actually lead to a greater administrative burden.
Cash flow is a real issue and the Deputy is right to highlight it. I have asked the Revenue Commissioners to try to identify further administrative efficiencies to further improve this scheme from a cash flow perspective.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-21