LAST UPDATE | 3 hrs ago

SINN FÉIN’S PEARSE Doherty has said there will be further fuel protests if the government goes ahead with the planned unwinding of fuel excise duty cuts.

In April, the government increased temporary fuel excise cuts to 32c on a litre of diesel and 27c for petrol.

However, before the summer break, it announced that a phased reversal of these cuts is planned for between 1 September and December.

The party’s spokesperson on finance, Pearse Doherty, remarked that “passing a financial resolution in the Dáil is the only way to stop these increases going ahead”.

He said that McDonald has written to the Taoiseach asking him to “recall the Dáil to pass the financial resolution necessary to prevent the increases from taking effect”.

This is not the first time the party has called for the Dáil to be recalled. Sinn Féin called for the Dáil to be recalled from its Easter break over energy prices also, with the party calling for the Dáil to be recalled during the summer in other years. 

Fianna Fáil TD Séamus McGrath accused Sinn Féin of political opportunism but said that if the government decided to recall the Dáil, he would partake, as would other party colleagues. 

‘I don’t want to see protests’

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Doherty pointed to a surplus of nine billion and remarked that extending to fuel subsidies to the end of the year would cost €120 million per month.

“There is a responsibility on government to stand up and protect its citizens, not to make life harder for people,” added Doherty.

He added that if the planned unwinding of the excise duty cuts is not reversed, “there will be protests across this country”.

“The ball is firmly in the government’s court,” said Doherty.

“It will be Micheál Martin and Simon Harris and his cabinet colleagues that will decide whether there will be protests across this country.

“I don’t want to see them, but I will stand with people if the government refuse to listen.”

He added: “I rightly believe that there will be protests if that is the case.”

‘These decisions can be stopped’

In an earlier statement, Doherty remarked that fuel prices have “risen sharply in recent weeks”, with diesel prices now averaging €1.92 per litre, up 19 cent in a month, while petrol has risen by nine cent to €1.84.

“At precisely the moment when international factors are pushing fuel prices higher, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and their Independents are planning to make matters worse,” said Doherty.

“We warned the government about this last July.

“But they voted against our amendments which would have stopped these increases going ahead and decided that the increases would begin while the Dáil is in recess.”

Martin had previously accused Doherty and Sinn Féin of “playing politics” with these amendments.

Doherty said that from 1 September, the cost of diesel will increase by 10 cent per litre and petrol by nine cent per litre, with the full reversal of excise duty cuts to come by December.

“These are government decisions and they can be stopped,” said Doherty.

“The government cannot control every movement in international oil prices, but it absolutely controls the taxes it imposes at the pump.”

He said it would be “completely wrong for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to deliberately make petrol and diesel more expensive at precisely the moment when prices are already rising sharply”.

He added that this will “hit workers and families who rely on their cars to get to work, bring their children to school and go about their daily lives”.

Doherty meanwhile said the fuel excise duty cuts reversal will “increase costs for farmers, hauliers, tradespeople, contractors and small businesses, with the risk that these additional costs will feed through into higher prices across the economy”.

“September is still more than a week away. There is time to change course,” said Doherty.

“The Taoiseach should recall the Dáil for a day, pass the necessary financial resolution and stop these petrol and diesel price increases from going ahead.”

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins last week called for the Dáil to be recalled over the same issue.

“Irish people have been taxed enough,” said Collins this morning, reiterating his call for the Dáil to be recalled.

“The Government needs to stop penny-pinching, put people first and give households and businesses some relief rather than piling more costs onto them.”