Mary Lou McDonald: Halt Fuel Tax Hikes Now
Mary Lou McDonald challenged the government in the Dáil after it recalled the House, accusing ministers of rescheduling planned petrol and diesel tax increases rather than cancelling them. She demanded immediate certainty for workers, families and small businesses and called for Budget 2027 to deliver real cost-of-living relief.
Mary Lou McDonald told the Tánaiste that rescheduling September fuel tax increases to November and beyond is not a solution but a postponement of pain. With international oil prices still high, she argued the government can choose to keep taxes off and give people certainty now rather than leave them exposed through the winter.
Sinn Féin has tabled a proposal to stop the September and October increases and to freeze fuel taxes while international prices remain elevated. McDonald said the party’s plan would provide certainty to workers who depend on cars, families struggling with household bills, farmers, tradespeople and small businesses.
Beyond emergency measures, McDonald urged practical progress towards clean, affordable energy and fuel sources to protect people from volatile international markets. She criticised the government’s pace on this transition as inadequate and called for decisive action ahead of Budget 2027.
McDonald framed the issue as a political choice: governments can opt to ease pressure on households or deliberately add to their burden. Sinn Féin will oppose any motion that simply moves tax increases into later months and insists on meaningful cost-of-living measures in the next budget.
Threat of tax rises
Mary Lou McDonald told the Tánaiste that rescheduling September fuel tax increases to November and beyond is not a solution but a postponement of pain. With international oil prices still high, she argued the government can choose to keep taxes off and give people certainty now rather than leave them exposed through the winter.
Sinn Féin's alternative
Sinn Féin has tabled a proposal to stop the September and October increases and to freeze fuel taxes while international prices remain elevated. McDonald said the party’s plan would provide certainty to workers who depend on cars, families struggling with household bills, farmers, tradespeople and small businesses.
Longer-term energy approach
Beyond emergency measures, McDonald urged practical progress towards clean, affordable energy and fuel sources to protect people from volatile international markets. She criticised the government’s pace on this transition as inadequate and called for decisive action ahead of Budget 2027.
Political choice and consequences
McDonald framed the issue as a political choice: governments can opt to ease pressure on households or deliberately add to their burden. Sinn Féin will oppose any motion that simply moves tax increases into later months and insists on meaningful cost-of-living measures in the next budget.
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Transcript
Tánaiste, the Dáil has been recalled because you got it wrong. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents intended to increase petrol and diesel prices from September 1st. We said no and I wrote to the Taoiseach asking that the Dáil be recalled to stop those increases. So here we are today but it's clear that you still haven't gotten the message because your answer is not to halt fuel tax increases but simply to reschedule them. You now propose increases from November and to continue those increases through to February. We are of course living in extraordinary circumstances. The international factors that are driving fuel prices sky-high are still with us. The pressure this brings in places on workers and families is still with us. And while governments cannot control international geopolitical events or oil prices, you can control the taxes you place on petrol and diesel. And people need to know definitively that while fuel prices soar, government will not pile on further tax increases when people are struggling. Not now, not in November, not at any stage. So what you bring today is not a solution. It's kicking the can down the road. It's postponing the pain, not removing it. And that is why we will oppose your motion today. That is why we have brought our own proposal. A proposal that would give workers who depend on their cars to get to work certainty. That would give families struggling with household bills certainty. That would give farming contractors, farmers, oiliers, tradespeople and small businesses certainty. Because they need to know that you will not deliberately drive up petrol and diesel costs while international prices remain so high. Not now, and not in November. And beyond these emergency measures, of course, government must make absolutely practical progress towards clean, affordable energy and fuel sources. That is what will protect people from volatile international situations. And it has to be said, government progress on this imperative has been literally at a snail's pace. Tánaiste, you could have brought that certainty today, but instead you've left the threat of higher prices hanging over people. And this is an issue of political choice. Sinn Féin would make different choices. And I want to be very clear. We support stopping the September and October increases. But we will not support a plan that simply moves those increases to November, December, January and February. You have to keep these taxes off while fuel prices remain high. And Budget 2027 must deliver meaningful cost of living relief for workers and families. People deserve that certainty too. They deserve a break. And you know, they deserve a government that stands with them. Not one that has to be dragged by us into doing the right thing.