Sinn Féin TDs for Waterford Conor D. McGuinness and David Cullinane have called on the government to take immediate action to protect households, farmers, and small businesses as diesel prices surge following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Deputies McGuinness and Cullinane said families and workers across Waterford are already struggling with the cost of living and cannot afford another wave of price increases. It follows the doubling of the cost of home heating oil in recent days.
Deputy McGuinness said:
“People are watching diesel prices climb again. In some cases, diesel has passed €2 a litre. For thousands of workers in Waterford, commuters, farmers, tradespeople and small businesses, diesel is not a luxury. It is how they get to work and keep their livelihoods going.
“This follows the doubling of the cost of home heating oil in recent days.
“Families are already stretched to the limit by soaring rents, sky-high grocery bills and rising energy costs. They cannot carry the burden of another fuel price shock.
“Once again the government’s response has been to sit on its hands. People cannot wait while ministers say they are ‘monitoring the situation’. This is happening right now in households across Waterford.
“Waterford’s two government ministers, Mary Butler and John Cummins, should be using their positions to demand action from government. People here will rightly question why they have been so quiet while costs continue to rise.”
Deputy Cullinane said:
“First, they must scrap the planned increase in carbon tax which is due to come into effect shortly. Pushing ahead with another tax increase while fuel prices are soaring would be completely out of touch.
“Secondly the government must now reduce the tax on petrol and diesel during this crisis.
“Third, they need to bring forward targeted cost-of-living supports for households already under pressure.
“Finally, there must be a serious crackdown on price gouging to ensure companies do not use this international crisis as an excuse to rip people off.
“People in Waterford cannot simply absorb these increases. For many families every extra euro at the pump means less money for food, heating or childcare.
“This is not an abstract economic issue. It is a real cost-of-living crisis affecting real people right now.
“This government must stop standing back and start standing up for workers, families, farmers and small businesses.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 