Cabinet ministers have signed off on a cut in excise duty on petrol and diesel.
There’ll be a 20 cent per litre reduction on petrol and 15 cent a litre on diesel.
Green diesel will be cut by 2 cent a litre.
The changes will take effect at midnight.
However a Tipperary haulier says the reduction in the excise duty charged on diesel will make no difference whatsoever to his business.
Cashel based Mick Mackey said a bigger reduction on petrol compared to diesel doesn’t make sense.
Speaking on Tipp Today he also said the reduction on green diesel doesn’t go far enough.
“It’s a pebble in a pond, that’s all that is, a pebble in a pond.
“Green diesel is €1.40 at the pumps at the moment and they’re knocking 2 cent off it. For tillage farmers that’s going to put a lot of them lads out of business. Some lads won’t even start their machines.
“It’s not going to help – now I don’t want to sound ungrateful. In actual fact 20 cent off petrol – which is no commercial – and 15 cent of diesel which is a commercial fuel. That in itself – I don’t know what to call that.”
Meanwhile a Tipperary County Councillor says excise on fuels should be abolished completely during the current crisis.
Thurles Independent Jim Ryan says the excise reduction announced by Government today won’t have a long term impact.
“I just don’t think this goes far enough.
“It will not ease the burden on families out there and businesses who are struggling with the high cost of living and increased costs of running a business.
“A 15 cent or 20 cent a litre reduction is not strong enough. It’s not good enough and it will be eaten up with the with the increased costs in the fuel industry.
“What I think the Government should be doing is suspend the full amount of excise duty on fuel for the next few months to lock in that price and give people a chance to get back on their feet.”
