Kerry Sinn Féin councillor Toireasa Ferris has said that confirmation received by Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty in a parliamentary question, confirms that any future carbon tax increases would also attract VAT will mean that the mooted carbon tax jumps will be even more regressive than originally anticipated.
Disproportionate Punishment
“We in Sinn Féin are opposed to the increase in carbon tax because it will disproportionately punish those on low and middle incomes while big business and corporate polluters will not be made to pay their fair share,” said Cllr. Ferris.
“The government has failed to provide any meaningful alternatives or incentives for people to make the necessary changes to limit climate change.
“They now wish to shift the burden on already highly taxed households, once again, for their policy failures. The fact that VAT must be applied to carbon tax means the tax will itself be taxed.
Catastrophic Reality of Climate Change
“We need to tackle the catastrophic reality of climate change in a fair way. The bills faced by ordinary people are already onerous due to sky-high rents, inflated insurance premiums and ever increasing education and healthcare costs.
“People in rural Ireland will be particularly badly hit with these costs because of the lack of public transport and the reliance on fossil fuels.
Insulation and Retrofits
“If the will was there, Government investment could help bring about change such as through free insulation and retrofits, making electric cars affordable and developing the charging infrastructure and through public transport expansion and fare reductions.
“Innovation can limit the effects of climate change but it will take imagination to implement the correct policies,” Cllr. Ferris concluded.
Sinn Féin Candidate Kate McSweeney’s Facebook Launch
Castleisland Electoral Area Sinn Féin candidate, Kate McSweeney has just launched her May 24th Local Election Facebook page and it can be accessed with a click on the link here: https://www.facebook.com/katemcsweeneysf
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