Roderic O’Gorman: By Paying Fuel Protesters’ ‘Ransom’ on Carbon Tax, the Government Has Set a Dangerous Precedent

Harris defends fact that over half of fuel costs are tax

"We do have to collect taxes to fund public services": Tánaiste Simon Harris has defended the fact that over half of motor fuel prices are pure Government tax, arguing that "we have to take in a certain amount of taxation to run the country":

Roderic O’Gorman: By paying fuel protesters’ ‘ransom’ on carbon tax, the Government has set a dangerous precedent

For the last two weeks, the blame for all the nation’s woes has been laid squarely at the feet of the carbon tax. If that pesky tax would just go away, everyone’s problems would be solved. We’d all be able to afford our food and fuel bills, we’d all be less stressed about making ends meet, and our collective anxiety would be lifted.

Fine Gael TD praised fuel protesters despite Harris warning

A Fine Gael TD texted fuel protesters to praise them for blockades at Galway Port, despite being warned by party leader Simon Harris not to encourage the demonstrations. Galway East deputy Pete Roche gave ‘credit’ to those who had staged a five-day blockade at the Galway docks this month, which prevented the delivery of a six-million-litre oil shipment. He told those mounting the blockades they had brought ‘some perspective on what’s happening o…