TD’s have voted against a motion to “axe the carbon tax” put forward by independent TD for Cork south-west, Deputy Michael Collins and his Rural Independent Group colleagues. According to Deputy Collions, the motion it would have put over €1,120 back into family-farms’ pocket, but the motion was defeated in the Dáil by 77 to 58 votes.
TDs from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Green Party and the Social Democrats voted to keep and increase the carbon tax from Sunday, 1 May. Deputy Collins said that axing the tax would save households almost €8,000 from now to 2030, yet Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Green Party and Social Democrat TDs all voted to keep the tax in place despite its severe impact.
He added that the carbon tax is directly driving up the costs of all fuels, electricity and gas, and, if passed, the motion would also have prohibited the re-introduction of such a tax in any form without the passage of a democratic referendum.
Deputy Collins commented that TDs who opposed the motion demonstrated that they did not want to give people a vote on the carbon tax. He said the carbon tax will cost the average household €521 this year and the average farm will pay over €600 through the tax this year, meaning a combined hit of over €1,120 to the family farm. According to the deputy the figure is expected to increase to €3,000 by 2030 as a result of the vote.