Leitrim Cllr calls for cuts to carbon tax and VAT on home heating oil
The councillor says removing these levies would help locals pay for spiralling heating costs
A Leitrim councillor has called on the government to cut the VAT and Carbon tax rates on home heating oil amid extremely high energy costs.
Sinn Féin Padraig Fallon has said that reducing these levies will reduce the price Leitrim people are paying for their tank refills.
“A lot of those homes have elderly people in them, and they are worried about this,” he says, talking about elderly locals making representations to him regarding the price of fuel.
The call comes as the average price of 500 Litres of oil reaches around €830, up from the August average of €699 before the US-Israeli war in Iran, according to Oil Prices.ie.
Meanwhile, a fill of 1000 Litre tanks costs around €1638 compared to € 1,358 before the war in Iran.
“It's time for the government to stop talking about oil to the things it can't control and to act on the things it can, and when I say that, I mean the exercise of a carbon tax and that. And I was just looking at that receipt for the 500 litres, which came to €820. €97, almost €100 of that was that alone.”
In this month's budget, the Government offered a €43 fuel allowance to those filling up a tank of home heating oil.
However, Opposition parties have said that more needs to be done to offer relief to those looking to heat their homes.
Solid fuels still play a large role in the heating of homes in Ireland, with around 20% according to the CSO. Leitrim people still rely on solid fuels; however, Cllr Fallon says that is still a costly route to heat a home.
“Those that have solid fuel are gracious and happy that they have that. Although we know that coal is very expensive, and briquettes and that kind of stuff is very expensive as well.”