Councillor says Offaly people won't continue to accept home heating and fuel prices

An Offaly councillor has slammed the government over the price of home heating and fuel – saying that the people of the county won't continue to accept current prices and taxes.

Sinn Féin councilllor Aoife Masterson said that her party has brought forward its "eighth proposal since March” to cut the carbon tax on home heating oil. She urged the government to take the carbon tax off home heating oil, cut taxes on petrol and diesel, and to give farmers and rural businesses 'a break' on green diesel.

“A full fill of oil now costs around €1,600, up hundreds of euro in just weeks. Diesel is over €2 a litre. When the Taoiseach came to Tullamore for the Fianna Fáil think-in this month, he told us that €2 fuel could be the new norm. The new norm? For people in Offaly, driving is not a luxury. Heating our homes is not an option. We can’t just decide we won’t drive to work tomorrow, won’t bring the children to school, or won’t put the heat on when it gets cold,” Cllr Masterson said on social media.

“The fact is, it does not matter how much the government taxes me or anyone else in rural Ireland. We still have to drive our cars. We still have to heat our homes. And every time the price goes up, the State takes more in VAT. This is a political choice and government can do something about this,” she continued.

“But instead of action, we get even more talk about what government might do down the line. What good is any of that when we are paying these prices now? People in Offaly won’t accept being told that this is simply the new norm. And neither will I. Government TD's need to remember who elected them,” Cllr Masterson added.

She said that when proposals come before the Dáil to cut costs, 'government need stand up for the people they represent instead of playing party politics'.

“Eight proposals in six months. How many more will it take before Government actually acts?” Cllr Masterson said.