Sligo-Leitrim TD, Marian Harkin has told the Dáil that if the government goes ahead with the rise of fuel prices in October, it will “close businesses in the border counties and drive shoppers across the border”.
Deputy Harkin, who spoke during a Sinn Féin motion on the cost-of-living crisis, said that the average price for a litre of petrol is 184.9c and diesel is 179.9c.
She stated that last year, petrol was 19c/L cheaper and diesel was 13c cheaper. The deputy asked: “Minister, when are these prices going to stop soaring?”
Deputy Harkin raised her concerns of the people who travel long distances just to get to work, and how these people are “dreading” the next rise in fuel prices, as it is going to take from their income.
The deputy added:
“According to Fuels for Ireland, by January 2025 petrol and diesel will be between 20c and 24c cheaper per litre in Northern Ireland than in the Republic.
“Increases in fuel prices hit people in rural Ireland harder, as the national average is 16,300km, but if you live in Leitrim the average is 19,000km, so that tells you minister that those price increases will hit them harder.”
Furthermore, Harkin stated that, while improvements have been made in public transport, it is still “not cutting back” on the mileage as most people still need their cars.
The deputy then asked the Minister for State at the Department of Finance, Neale Richmond to reverse the increase in fuel that was added in April, and if that is not possible, to abandon any further price increases.
Deputy Harkin urged that if the October price increase goes ahead, it will mean a “lose-lose” for everyone.
Minister Richmond responded that the government would take Deputy Harkin’s concerns into account when looking at the planned price increase scheduled for October.