Sinn Féin says it will introduce emergency legislation to cut the cost of fuel and home heating oil.
Party finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty says the proposal would reduce petrol and diesel prices by up to 25 cent a litre and remove taxes on home heating oil.
Its as oil prices have surged to $100 a barrel for second time in a week, after more Iranian strikes on tankers disrupted key shipping routes.
Deputy Doherty says the move is needed as fuel prices surge past €2 a litre, and is urging the Government to act immediately to ease pressure on households.
“If you have to drop the kids to school today or travel to go to your work, you have to pay the €2.09 that people are charging at the pumps and this is why the government need to come in, the government is one of the biggest beneficiaries of these huge spikes in fuel prices.”
“The government last week alone took in, we estimate, €38 million additional in taxes because of these prices because remember, when you go and fill your car with petrol or diesel, up to 65% of that cost goes into the pockets of the government. So the government are benefiting from this crisis.”
“That’s why immediately they need to stop that, they need to put money back into people’s pockets and the way they do that is by reducing the taxes on petrol, diesel and home heat and oil and stop increasing and making things worse.”
