30 September 2022
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Economic disaster beckons without radical policy changes – according to West Cork Deputy Michael Collins and his colleagues in The Rural Independents
“Is net zero climate dogma and exorbitant carbon and energy taxes more important to the government than the entire Irish economy, rural communities, and its people?”
Budget 2023, which was unveiled this week, is full of half-baked and short-sighted measures, doing absolutely nothing to reduce the cost of energy, despite the worst energy price crisis to hit Ireland since the 1970s, according to Deputy Michael Collins and his colleagues in the Rural Independent Group.
The West Cork TD Michael Collins (Ind)
Speaking from his Cork South West constituency this morning (Friday, 30th September), Deputy Michael Collins, stated:
“Everyone outside the political bubble within FF, FG, and the Green Party can see that almost nothing is being done to address the underlying reasons for Ireland’s economic and energy cost crisis.”
“Getting any economic common sense into the heads of ‘carbon dioxide obsessed’ leaders from these three parties currently seems insurmountable.”
“This week’s budget announcement presented the perfect platform to change course. However, as expected, a leopard doesn’t change its spots. Instead, what we observed was more of the same – an increase of the inflationary carbon tax and handouts to energy suppliers disguised as public aid.”
“Failure by the government to address the underlying causes of energy cost surges means the country faces years of inflation and in all likelihood, a major economic depression unless the government radically changes its energy policy position.”
“We have consistently challenged the government to change direction and abandon its suicidal net zero targets, which are effectively preventing solutions and adding significantly to the catastrophic energy cost crisis. Consistently, the government has blatantly ignored our plans; instead, they cling to the green nirvana and do absolutely NOTHING.”
“Failure, yet again in Budget 2023, to change trajectory and establish viable alternative energy plans means that the time for action is running out.”
“The climate maxim, at the heart of this government, is banning drilling for cheaper and cleaner domestic oil and gas. This maxim is also blocking the storage of cheaper LNG, which could bring hundreds of euros in savings for consumers in their electric and gas bills.”
“Giving an energy handout to everyone, which ultimately goes to energy suppliers, lacks both creativity and change and will potentially drive up prices further. Equally, hiking the unfair carbon tax to €48.50 per tonne will hurt EVERYONE and add €1.50 to a tank of motor fuel, €20 to a 900-litre tank of home heating oil, and almost €1 to a bag of coal. Ultimately, the tax will hit an average household for over €600, and a family farm for €1,260 in 2023.”
“The carbon tax hike is simply another indication that the government is entrapped by climate dogma. It shows the three government parties are ‘out’ on two fronts: touch and ideas.”
“This situation is so dire that we need the government to choose between saving the economy and saving net zero. There simply isn’t a third way,” concluded Deputy Collins.
