Councillors in South Dublin County Council have condemned the carbon tax as a “regressive tax” following the passing of a motion at the November Council meeting. The motion was proposed by People Before Profit Councillor Madeleine Johansson and also called on increased investment in renewable energy, public transport and an immediate stop to the issuing of fossil fuel exploration licences.
Cllr Madeleine Johansson commented: “The passing of the motion sends a clear message to the government that there is no support for a carbon tax which will hit the most vulnerable people in society.” Kellie Sweeney, People Before Profit candidate for the Dublin Mid-West by-election said: “The hypocrisy of the government on climate is exposed on climate when we look at this issue of the carbon tax. The government have not done the due diligence on the rate of fuel poverty in this country and yet they propose slapping ordinary people, who have no alternative to carbon heating or transport, with a regressive carbons tax. This is all while they propose to increase carbon emissions from agriculture in the climate action plan. People in communities that are barely getting by at the moment cannot afford to pay a levy for an inelastic product like home heating. People will either get poorer or colder.”
