SF accused of 'political theatre' over carbon tax call

Sinn Féin has been accused of "political theatre" over its proposal to remove the carbon tax from home heating fuel.

Fine Gael TD for Offaly John Clendennen said the Government must look at things "in the round" and "to be bringing this forward just a couple of weeks out from Budget 2027, it really is political theatre".

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said that if Sinn Féin were serious about this today, "we'd have an alternative budget on the table and we'd be able to look at everything in the round".

"Instead, we're looking at an item in isolation," he added.

Speaking on the same programme, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty said removing carbon tax from home heating oil would reduce the cost of 1,000 litre fill by €183.

He said Sinn Féin will bring forward legislation later today demanding the Government takes this action.

The Government has left families and workers high and dry, he said, and they have done this solely because the tax on home heating oil is called a carbon tax.

He said he has spoken to people who have told him they have very little left in their oil tanks, or "that they're going out to buy home heating oil in gallon drums because they can't afford the fill".

"They don't care what you call the tax. All they know is that they are being penalised through the roof in terms of the price of it," Mr Doherty said.

Unlike petrol or diesel, there is no EU legal requirement for minimum taxation on home heating oil, unlike petrol or diesel, he added.

He said the Government also needs to introduce energy credits in the budget On 6 October.