McGuinness hits out at Butler and Cummins as Waterford TDs vote on home heating costs
Waterford TDs voted on a bill which sought to reduce home heating costs in the Dáil last night
Sinn Féin TD Conor McGuinness has hit out at fellow Waterford TDs Mary Butler and John Cummins over a vote on home heating costs in the Dáil last night.
Sinn Féin tabled a bill which sought to immediately remove carbon tax from home heating oil.
Deputy McGuinness and fellow Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane voted in favour of the legislation, whilst Minister Butler and Minister Cummins voted against.
Speaking after the vote, Deputy McGuinness criticised the two ministers for voting with their Government colleagues.
He stated: “Last night, Mary Butler and John Cummins had a very simple choice.
“They could have voted to cut the tax burden on home heating oil and give families immediate relief, or they could side with a Government that is telling people to wait for the Budget.
“They chose to vote against immediate relief. Sinn Féin had tabled legislation to immediately remove carbon tax from home heating oil.
“Both David Cullinane and I voted for this legislation as part of the wider Sinn Féin. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Lowry Independent group voted against.”
He continued by outlining the difficulties people across the country are having with the cost of fuel.
“Home heating oil has become brutally expensive. Families are already cutting back on groceries, electricity and other essentials because they are struggling to fill their tanks.
“The Government knows this. Ministers have openly acknowledged the huge spike in the price of home heating oil and have said they are looking at measures for the Budget.
“But families cannot heat their homes with promises about what might happen in a Budget weeks from now.”
Deputy McGuinness said that the two Waterford ministers would have to explain their vote to their constituents.
“Sinn Féin brought forward a practical measure to reduce the tax on home heating oil. The Government had the opportunity tonight to give households some breathing space.
“Mary Butler and John Cummins voted against it.
“That is a decision they will have to explain to families in Waterford who are looking at the price of filling their oil tank and wondering how they are going to afford it.”
He went on to highlight what he sees as people’s urgent need for relief from the cost of living.
“People need relief now. Not spin. Not excuses. Not another promise to maybe do something later.
“We put forward the solution. They rejected it.
“The pressure must now stay on this Government to deliver real relief for families struggling with the cost of heating their homes.”
Speaking in the Dáil last night, Minister of State Marian Harkin said that the Government would look to address the cost of home heating oil in the upcoming Budget.
She stated: “I once again say that the appropriate time to deal with the cost of fuels and home heating oil is in the context of budget 2027 in two weeks' time.
“It is on the basis that Budget 2027 is two weeks away that the Government does not support the Opposition's Bill and again presses that the House decline to give this Bill a Second Reading.”
The Government is set to announce Budget 2027 on Tuesday, October 6.