Mayo TD urges Government to extend fuel cuts as September hike looms
Fuel protests took place across Mayo in April, with people gathering in Castlebar, Westport and Ballina to join the nationwide demonstrations against rising fuel prices as they called for better financial supports for farmers, hauliers and SMEs.
Fuel prices are set to rise on September 1st, as the Government begins to unwind the temporary reductions placed on fuel excise duty and the NORA levy.
In April, the Government introduced temporary fuel excise cuts to 32c on a litre of diesel and 27c for petrol. These reductions are set to be reversed across four phases between September and December.
The first phase will see excise duty increase by 9c per litre on petrol and 10c on diesel, while the NORA levy will rise by 2c per litre.
Deputy Conway-Walsh has said the Government must act immediately to prevent the upcoming increase, claiming it could extend the current reductions without having to recall the Dáil.
“They need to liaise with Revenue immediately to see how it can be done in the absence of a Daíl sitting. It would be a Ministerial instrument,” she told the .
“My understanding is that it is possible for this to be done without a Daíl sitting, albeit that it would be our preference to have a Daíl sitting,” the Sinn Féin representative added.
Her call comes as motorists across the country are already facing significant price increases at the pumps.
AA Ireland figures show the average price of diesel has risen by 19c per litre over the past month to €1.92, while the average price of petrol has increased by 9c to €1.84.
Deputy Conway-Walsh said it is “imperative” that the Government extend the current reductions, “particularly for rural Ireland and for counties like Mayo”.
“We can already notice the prices going up at the pumps. There is a variation I have noticed myself of up to 10c per litre across the county of Mayo,” she said. “This is completely unsustainable for drivers.”
She said that a price increase on September 1st would be “detrimental” to workers and businesses across Mayo.
“I am talking to small and medium-sized businesses who might have a small number of vans that are delivering their goods on a daily basis,” she explained.
“There is no way that these businesses will be able to sustain that increase. The government needs to head this off.”
Deputy Conway-Walsh said the reductions introduced in April had made a significant difference to small and medium-sized businesses, with several SMEs telling her the cuts had helped keep their businesses operating over the past few months.
Asked whether businesses could face the worst-case scenario of being forced to close if fuel costs continue to rise, Deputy Conway-Walsh said: “They would certainly be laying off employees, but it would be the biggest threat that I can see to the existence of their businesses.”
Home Help and Home Care workers will also be negatively affected by the upcoming increase.
“We have a huge number of home help workers in Mayo who are on low wages as it is, and they have to travel large distances because of the challenges around recruitment,” Deputy Conway-Walsh said.
“They have to travel further and further to get to their places of work. Their wages are already eroded, and if they are further eroded by the fuel excise cuts not being extended, then we are in real trouble. That presents a real problem for community healthcare.”
April saw fuel protests break out around the country, with people taking to the streets in Castlebar, Westport and Ballina and forming convoys of tractors and HGVs.
There are warnings that protests could return if fuel prices rise towards €2 per litre.
Fuels for Ireland CEO Kevin McPartlan spoke to Sharon Tobin on RTÉ Today on Monday morning, and said the rhetoric from people who protested in April is “getting stronger”.
"We're already seeing the people who were high profile in the protest the last time out talking about that.
“They say that . The volume of social media posts on this, and the tone of them, are both increasing,” Mr McPartlan said.
Asked if she has concerns about a repeat of the protests seen in April, Deputy Conway-Walsh said: “I think people will be willing to protest again, but I think the Government has a real opportunity here to address this in a positive way.”
“Nobody wants to see more fuel protests, not least the people who are out protesting, who want to be working and running their businesses."
“We haven’t seen a reduction in the volatility of the geopolitical crisis, so there is absolutely no reason why the Government shouldn't extend the excise cuts. When we look economically, we see that.”
Deputy Conway-Walsh said the cost of preventing the excise increase would be in the region of €100m to €150m a month.
She pointed to the expected €9.2b Government surplus for 2026, as well as tax receipts for the first seven months of the year.
Tax revenues from January to July totalled €58.6b, up 6% on the same period last year, she said.
“It is a matter of redistributing that,” she explained. “The Government cannot simply do nothing until mid-September. It is not an option. It is not an option for Mayo, and it is not an option for rural Ireland.”
“The Government has to get out ahead of this. They would be absolutely foolish, foolish and reckless, not to get out ahead of this by announcing that they will extend fuel excise cuts, at least until something more substantial can be done in the Budget.”
Deputy Conway-Walsh also warned that the timing of the planned increase would put additional pressure on households, as September brings significant costs for families.
She highlighted the Leaving Cert results due next week, with many students hoping to go to college and families preparing to meet the rising costs of accommodation, college fees, travel, and study materials.
With two weeks until the price increases are due to come into effect, Deputy Conway-Walsh said there was still time for the Government to intervene.
She called for action in the coming days rather than waiting until the last minute.
“We are not talking about a long-term cut to fuel excise duty, we are talking about a temporary, necessary intervention,” she said.
