South Meath Driving School

Of late our concerns were the politicians and bankers undoing of young and old; then the change of the guard brought new household charges; now it’s the turn of the diesel and petrol prices at the pumps to create the most recent rage. How much more can the man and woman in the street take? Jesus, I do not know. The last Government are out long enough now for us to have almost forgotten them, though some say they will be remembered for what they did when Cromwell is long forgotten. Remember, too, that the FF outfit hit the litre of petrol three times adding 17 cent for our pleasure.

Petrol and diesel have now got a similar price tag, averaging around 155 cent per litre, though local garages see fit to exceed that price.

Petrol has increased by 7 cent in the last month. Of that 7c, 2.4c is attributable to the VAT increase of 2% on Jan 1^st. The Euro has weakened against the US dollar and there has been a wholesale increase due to some change in the way the wind is blowing in the Middle East.

The Finance Dept. obviously sought to increase their take through those increases, but during the past year consumption is down 7%. The motorist just cannot afford such purchases at penal prices, and once more the State calculated incorrectly, scoring a fine own goal.

Running a motor car is no luxury, no more than owning a lorry or any commercial vehicle. There is a loss of disposable income from those horrendous increases that will have an adverse affect on nearly every household.

You may not have known that there has been an increase in ‘Carbon Tax.’ Something tells me that other fuels like turf and coal are excluded from this tax. At least that will enable Ming Flanagan to continue his consumption of what he believes is good for him. Good for him!

Yes, the carbon tax has accounted for about 4 cent of this increase between the Budget and VAT increase. So Noonan and Kenny are our most recent Eco warriors to come on the scene. When a real ecology-conscious gentlemen, like JP Fay who lived up a tree for months, protesting at the M3 being constructed too close to the Hill of Tara, there was no sign of Noonan or any of his retinue.  Their interest is not quite the preservation of Carbon matter, rather it is just a mean, slithery way of collecting taxes. Ray Butler T.D., let your colleagues know what  the majority of decent people think of all this. Tell the local people who have to drive to Dublin, Dundalk or wherever, to work that the hike in petrol prices is aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. Tell the shopkeeper, too, that it has resulted in there being less money available to purchase newspapers or the box of cornflakes.

Noonan’s scalpel didn’t finish there for the motorist. Car tax is to increase. The lower emission cars in Band A and B face the greater hikes of 56eur and 69eur respectively. The main reason for this is that 70% of new car sales in the last few years were in those bands. Practically all new cars are in the ultra low emission bracket and this is the ‘reward’ from our Government for all those who made the purchase recently. No wonder people have stopped blessing themselves when passing the church.

In a word, for those who pay their taxes religiously, just remember that when you buy that litre of petrol or diesel that our good State is taking about 60% of the overall price. It’s enough to make a sloath’s veins pump.