Ireland's government is weighing adjustments to the carbon tax ahead of Budget 2027, with home heating oil and fuel prices pressuring households and hauliers. Energy Minister Darragh O'Brien insists the tax funds essential retrofit programs and grants, including a boiler scrappage scheme offering up to €14,500. The final decision on tax rates and excise reductions is expected within days. Home heating oil costs have jumped from under €1,000 to over €1,600 per 1,000 litres this year. Diesel and petrol prices have also risen, and the haulage industry is pushing for an extension of emergency excise cuts. Meanwhile, officials are monitoring potential US diesel export restrictions, though no ban appears imminent. The budget announcement on October 6 will clarify the government's direction on carbon pricing and energy affordability.
