Minister Darragh O'Brien commits to 'substantial supports' after hauliers meeting; Taoiseach says Israeli strike on Iran gas field 'utterly unacceptable'

"The forthcoming measures are likely to be for a very short period, with intervention on the scale of those rolled out after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 being ruled out. It is understood the Government is anxious to avoid committing to another large‑scale package running into hundreds of millions of euro, with senior figures highlighting the volatility of the current situation and insisting that no firm decisions have yet been taken."

"The view is that any response should be short, targeted and more limited than the extensive cost‑of‑living interventions introduced after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Government introduced an emergency excise duty cut of 20c in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Between February and April that same year, it also rolled out direct household supports, including a €200 electricity credit for every home."

"While it is unclear what the exact intervention by the Government will be, the Sunday Independent reported last week that one option available to the Coalition would be to extend the fuel allowance season beyond April because the cost of kerosene remains well above €800 for 500 litres, possibly targeting it at older people, carers and those most at risk of fuel poverty."

The Irish government plans to announce an appropriate intervention within a week to address energy price increases resulting from the Iran conflict. The forthcoming measures will be temporary and limited in scale, contrasting with the extensive cost-of-living support introduced after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The government aims to avoid committing to large-scale packages worth hundreds of millions of euros, citing the volatile situation and lack of firm decisions. Potential interventions include extending the fuel allowance season beyond April or implementing targeted support for vulnerable populations. The Taoiseach has rejected delaying the planned May carbon tax increase. The government will keep measures under ongoing review as the situation develops.

Read at Irish Independent