Collins: Government’s carbon tax regime pushing home heating oil to €1000 per fill “an outrageous burden on struggling households”

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has sharply criticised the Government and opposition parties on the left for what he described as “piling pressure on the people least able to bear it”, as the cost of filling a standard home heating oil tank approaches €1,000 in parts of the country.

New data from Oilprices.ie shows the average cost of 1,000 litres has risen to €982.88, an increase of almost €80 in a single month. In several counties across Munster, households are now being quoted close to €1,000 per fill, while the same quantity costs between €643 and €674 in Northern Ireland — a price gap of roughly €300 for families living only a short distance apart.

Deputy Collins said the situation is “a stark indictment of a Government and shockingly, parties in opposition like Labour and the Soc Dems appear to have lost all connection with reality, fairness, and the people it is supposed to served”.

“Hundreds of thousands of families — particularly in rural Ireland, older homeowners, and those on modest incomes — have no alternative to oil,” he said. “Yet they are being clobbered by a tax regime that shows no regard for their circumstances. The State is now taking more than €400 in tax out of every single fill. It is indefensible.”

Distributors have reported a surge in demand as temperatures fall, adding further strain on households already grappling with recent electricity price increases and the Government’s decision to scrap winter energy credits, despite providing €250 last year. Deputy Collins said this reflects “a deliberate policy choice that punishes the vulnerable”.

“It is galling to hear Ministers talk about protecting people when their own policies are contributing directly to this crisis,” he said. “They keep increasing carbon taxes while offering no realistic alternatives. People are expected to pay more and more just to keep their homes warm. It is intolerable.”

The Independent Ireland leader said the widening price difference between north and south “lays bare the scale of the problem”. Industry representatives have repeatedly pointed to the tax regime as the core driver. “When a family in Tyrone can heat their home for €300 less than a family in Donegal, you cannot pretend that Irish Government policy is not a major part of the issue,” he said.

Deputy Collins noted that carbon tax now accounts for around €220 of a standard 1,000-litre fill, with further increases planned that would add another €150. “These hikes will push people beyond breaking point. They must be stopped.”

He said the Government must “face the reality of the hardship it has created” and take immediate action this winter. This includes suspending further carbon tax increases, providing meaningful financial support to households, acknowledging the energy dependence of rural communities, and engaging honestly with both industry and the public on practical alternatives that do not penalise those who have no other options.