Carbon Tax “should absolutely be opposed” - Lynn Boylan MEP

Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin Lynn Boylan has said that the introduction of a carbon tax “should absolutely be opposed” as it is a failed policy and will have a negative impact on working families.

Ms. Boylan said;

“The Government seem intent on imposing a carbon tax in a way that will impact struggling families and ordinary people.

“What the Government is doing is very unfair. It is also going to fail because unless you put in place measures to give families the alternatives, a carbon tax is just a punitive tax and it should absolutely be opposed.

“Families at the moment are pinned to their collars trying to afford basic necessities and what we have now is a Government saying they’re going to have to pay the price of big corporate polluters.

“The people who go out to Davos in their private jets want ordinary families to pay for their pollution. This is grossly unfair and should be actively opposed.

“Corporate airlines do not pay pollution tax, holding large multinational corporations like this to account for their pollution would be a welcome first step in the right direction.

“We need to discuss the idea of a wealth tax for wealthy individuals and corporations. A wealth tax along this line could then be ringfenced to invest in public transport, invest in retrofitting houses, and creating a green infrastructure across our Island.

“We want to make it very clear we will not support such a tax. The way to fight climate change is not by penalising ordinary families and working people.

“Sinn Féin will not support any proposal that comes forward that’s based on penalising ordinary people.

“We want to see climate change taken on in a progressive way that combines social justice and fairness with the obvious environmental needs.”