Dáil to return early as Government sees sense on fuel supports

James Cox

Here, we take a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Dáil to resume early over fuel supports

A phased restoration in excise duty for fuel will not go ahead in September after concerns were raised by Opposition and Government backbench TDs.

The excise cuts were part of a €750 million support package in response to  national fuel protests that brought the country to a standstill in April.

The phased removal of the supports was due to start from September 1st. It would have meant 9 cent added to a litre of petrol and 10 cent added to a litre of diesel.

Government has now confirmed the planned phasing out of supports on September 1st and October 1st will not go ahead.

In a statement, the Coalition said: "In June the Government announced an extension of the temporary reductions to fuel excise and the National Oil Reserves Agency Levy (NORA) and to avoid any cliff edge removal of supports, it set out a pathway to gradually restore rates to pre-reduction levels, starting from September 1.

"However, it is clear that in the intervening period there has been a change in the global situation and as a consequence the cost of petrol and diesel for consumers.

"The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister of State Seán Canney have kept in close contact in recent days and weeks and this morning agreed that the planned increases on September 1 and October 1 will not now go ahead.

"The Government will agree the next steps next week.

"Ultimately the greatest economic intervention we can see is de-escalation in the Middle East - and that is still the case.

"We will continue to be agile and rule nothing out.

"Work is also ongoing in relation to the Budget on October 6. The Government has been clear there will be decisive interventions in the Budget that will be framed around assisting people with the cost of living including to reward work, reduce costs, and protect the economy."

The Dáil will now reconvene on Friday, ahead of the previous resumption date of Wednesday, September 16th.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald had written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin to request an early return to address the issue of fuel supports.

A number of backbench Government TDs have also expressed their opposition to the removal of supports.

Wicklow-Wexford TD Brian Brennan told  BreakingNews.ie that the expected phasing out of fuel measures "should be stalled".

"Since this decision was taken fuel prices are continuing to rise. There is no sight of a resolution in the Middle East, therefore we must re-evaluate our position as a Government on fuel prices."

Brennan said he has had "numerous conversations" with Tánaiste Simon Harris on the matter, including one late on Monday night.

He added: "I am confident he is fully aware of the consequences for so many sectors within our economy especially agriculture and road haulage. And in the Tánaiste's words, 'everything is still on the table in relation to fuel supports'."

Brennan said many people in his constituency would be directly affected by the phasing out of the temporary supports.

"In my opinion the Government made their decision as there seemed to be stability in relation to oil prices and the geopolitical stability worldwide. But we are all aware today that world oil prices continue to rise and we are all well briefed on the volatility of the situation in the Middle East... so now is not the time to start dropping these supports."

In a statement, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen said the decision had not been 'forced'.

Cowen said: "I have just received welcome confirmation from Government that the planned fuel levy increases will not go ahead next month.

"There’ll be some rushing to claim credit for ‘forcing’ this outcome, but the reality couldn’t be more different.

"Good government means listening to people, responding to concerns and being willing to adapt when circumstances demand it.

"That’s what has happened here. Credit where it’s due."

In reality, the move was probably a bit of both; Government listening to people's concerns and pressure from within. Brennan was far from the only backbench TD to voice concern at the planned phasing out of supports.

TikTok criticised over dangerous driving videos in wake of M9 crash

TikTok is coming under scrutiny over videos of dangerous driving on the platform, in the wake of the lethal M9 crash.

After the social media company refused an invitation to appear before an Oireachtas committee, Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews suggested a suspension of TikTok cannot be ruled out.

Speaking in Dublin, he said: "Ireland is the main regulator of TikTok on behalf of Europe, enforcing EU law, working with the European Commission. They clearly could appear before the Media Committee, discuss their policies in general without commenting on the relevant ongoing investigations.

“Maybe as a Chinese company, TikTok do not fully understand our democratic system. The Oireachtas is our main national oversight body, and their refusal shows a great lack of respect to Ireland as host country.

“What is quite ironic is that China itself bans the international version of TikTok at home. The EU institutions in Brussels and many EU governments, including Ireland, have also banned TikTok from official devices due to security and privacy fears, and yet we still allow it full access to millions of young people in Europe."

He added: "The Commission has already issued preliminary findings in three separate investigations in the past year alone that TikTok are not adhering to EU law.

“If TikTok do not comply with those EU investigative findings and any resulting fines do not work, the Commission must activate the relevant legal clauses which allow for the temporary suspension of TikTok in Europe.”

Friedreich's Ataxia treatment

The HSE's final decision on whether to fund treatment for Friedreich's Ataxia will be announced tomorrow.

Hundreds of people with the condition will find out if Skyclarys, a drug which has been shown to slow the progression of the neuromuscular condition, will be reimbursed.

Earlier this month, the HSE Drugs Group met and recommended against the move.

Abroad

The UK is also reeling from a wrong-way crash after seven people, including two police officers, were killed in the collision on the A66 motorway near Middlesbrough.

British prime minister Andy Burnham has said sharing dangerous driving videos is "truly reprehensible".

Maria Cardona is one of the leading political commentators in the US having served as an adviser to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.

Speaking from her home in Washington DC, Cardona told BreakingNews.ie that the different voices vying for the leadership of the Democratic Party are actually a strength ahead of November's midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.

Cardona, who is a member of the Democratic National Committee, said: "It's actually not weird or bad that the Democratic Party at this point in the presidential political cycle, that there is not just one leader. When you are the party out of power, meaning you don't have the White House. Currently, we don't have control of the House of Representatives or the Senate.

"Even the Supreme Court, the majority of the justices are conservative. So, we don't have control of the three big branches of government. When that happens, there is a tendency for not just people within the party, but everyone to kind of look at the Democratic Party and say ‘they are in disarray, they are completely dysfunctional’. You can't see one person coming out as the leader. But that's okay."

Maria Cardona will appear at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross, Co Wexford on Saturday.