Carbon tax unfairly punishes rural Ireland — where people have no alternative

Living in rural Ireland is going to come at an increased price it seems. An increased carbon tax, announced in the Budget last week, weighs heavily on those outside of urban areas.

No one is opposed to doing more to help the environment, but it would appear whoever signed off on the charges hasn’t lived in rural Ireland.

The options around transport are limited to say the least, making a car at the least necessary for almost every journey.

Using scantily available public transport to do a weekly shop, or get farm provisions simply isn’t viable. Nor is towing a couple of cattle in a trailer with a Prius.

Almost 40pc of the country’s population don’t have fit-for-purpose public transport options available to them and they’re going to pay for it over the coming years.

By 2030, when carbon taxes reach €100/t, people living in rural Ireland will be paying around four times what their Dublin counterparts will be paying in transport costs.

Add in the cost of heating homes with oil, coal or briquettes is increasing, plus the extra costs farmers will be absorbing through increased contractor charges, and it’s not surprising both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have remained virtually silent about it.

Comments from the Green Party that there should be money put into schemes to support farmers in making changes to allow them farm in a less carbon-intensive manner simply side-steps the reality of living in rural Ireland.

As Michael Fitzmaurice said: “Show me where there is an electric tractor that will bale, mow and put out slurry for farmers.”

The move will anger anyone living in rural Ireland and rightly so. If we want fewer cars on our roads and reduced emissions, better infrastructure in both cities and rural areas is necessary, but those who have no alternative but to use the car, jeep or tractor should not be penalised for doing so.

It’s unimaginative and unfair to do so and a sorry reflection on the vision, or lack thereof, our current politicians have to create a greener country in the coming years.

Towing a couple of cattle in a trailer with a Prius isn’t viable