A Laois senator has urged the Irish government to cut taxes on home heating oil, citing a sharp rise in prices that is hitting the roughly 700,000 households reliant on kerosene. Sinn Féin's Maria McCormack wants future carbon tax increases scrapped and the excise on heating oil removed for the rest of 2026, arguing families cannot wait for budget measures. The intervention comes as heating oil prices have climbed about 50% since the start of the year, with a 1,000-litre fill costing nearly €88 more in a single week. The senator says people in her constituency have delayed refilling tanks, hoping for government support. The debate highlights the tension between carbon pricing goals and immediate cost-of-living pressures, a recurring issue in Irish climate policy.
