Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, has said that families and workers are being hammered by spiralling fuel costs, as prices continue to surge while the government delays taking action.
Brady said the latest figures show the scale and speed of the increases.
He said:
“Fuel prices are not stabilising – they are rising sharply, day after day.
“Diesel increased by 8 cent today and was projected to rise by a further 10 cent tomorrow before VAT.
“The latest projections this evening indicate diesel will rise by a further 7 cent tomorrow, while kerosene is expected to increase by around 2 cent – though that could change again before final pricing is confirmed.
“Home heating oil has increased by €100 for a fill, with a further €120 increase expected.”
Teachta Brady said families in Wicklow are already under severe pressure and cannot absorb these increases.
“Across Wicklow, people are struggling to keep up – struggling to heat their homes, to fill the car to get to work, and to make ends meet.
“People are delaying filling their tanks, cutting back on heat, and worrying about how they will get through the week.”
Deputy Brady said the government’s response has been wholly inadequate.
“We are now in the third week of this crisis and the government has still done nothing to bring prices down.
“Instead, they are telling people to wait – wait for meetings, wait for decisions – while costs continue to rise. That is simply not good enough.”
Sinn Féin has brought forward legislation to reduce fuel costs, including cutting excise and scrapping planned increases in the cost of home heating oil.
Brady said local government TDs must now support these measures.
“TDs in this constituency – Tánaiste Simon Harris and his colleague Edward Timmins – now have a choice.
“They can stand with workers and families who are under real pressure, or they can continue to back a government that is refusing to act.
“I am calling on them to support Sinn Féin’s motion and to back the legislation we have put forward to bring fuel prices down.”
Brady said the government can afford to act and must do so immediately.
“This is a government sitting on a massive surplus while ordinary families are being squeezed.
“Doing nothing is a political choice – and it is a choice that is hurting people across Wicklow.”
ENDS