THE Government is doing “sweet damn all” about escalating fuel prices, according to one Limerick Fine Gael councillor.
THE call went out from a local representative in the Adare/Rathkeale district for something to be done about the rising cost of petrol and diesel.
Speaking at the March area meeting, Fine Gael councillor Adam Teskey said there is not a person in the country not affected by the soaring cost of energy. The situation, on the back of war in the Middle East, he told Council members, is getting very serious, before calling for something to be done.
Cllr Teskey took the view that Ireland should be afforded the same reliefs and supports as those afforded Ukraine since the war with Russia began.
“We forked out millions and millions in supports, particularly to the war in Ukraine. We’re well able to buy into some of them and I do believe that there should be some sort of a reduction in the carbon tax. Something has to be done to support the vulnerable in our society,” he said.
“People out there are living at home, cold in their beds now and not being able to put fuel and kerosene in their tanks, not able to drive their cars, the anxiety of which is frustrating this situation and the Government are sitting back relaxed and doing sweet damn all.”
He asked for a letter to be sent to the Government from the West Limerick councillors demanding they “see sense” and reduce either the carbon tax or taxation on the fuel pricing industry.
“A member of the Dáil recently referred to this as ‘price gouging’. The Government, then themselves, take the biggest in relation to the remuneration received from the taxation on fuel and they should be doing something about it. I think that’s one of the most pressing issues with our constituents at the moment,” he insisted.
Independent Ireland councillor John O’Donoghue said he couldn’t agree more about writing a letter to Government on the matter, although he was unsure what good it would do.
– Local Democracy Reporting Scheme