Government is being accused of price gouging and profiteering from motorists with the rising cost of fuel.
The Irish Road Hauliers Association is also threatening to block roads in protest, unless prices at the pumps come down.
Drivers across Carlow and Kilkenny outlined their concerns on KCLR last week (that’s here).
The IRHA now says the industry is about to collapse due to the rise in fuel costs and increased tolls.
Its president, Laois man Ger Hyland, claims the Government is receiving more than 65% of the price of a litre of petrol and over 60% of a litre of diesel through tax, he says; “The Government last week were accusing the fuel people of price gouging but the biggest price gougers here are the Government, they’re taking over 60% of every euro that’s spent on fuel in this country, so this is an actual bonanza for the Government the fact that fuel has reached the heights it has reached, they are the big gainers out of this problem”.
The Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors in Ireland too says its members are facing growing pressure as the cost of diesel continues to climb, with agricultural green diesel experiencing some of the most significant increases.
Industry representatives are now calling for greater transparency in fuel pricing amid concerns that rural sectors are bearing the brunt of rising energy costs.
They’d also like to see stronger monitoring of fuel price movements to ensure fair market practices, measures to ensure farm contractors and farmers are not disproportionately impacted by rising energy costs and support for Farm Contractors during this period of unprecedented price increases to help address rising operating costs and ensure contractors can deliver essential services to farmers.
Meanwhile, stay tuned for The Home Run (4-7pm) with our Vinny Bradley’s KCLR Quiz offering €100 in fuel vouchers.
