Clarke calls on Government to cut the cost of driving

Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, Sorca Clarke, has said the Government must "end the rip-off" and "cut the cost of driving".

Sinn Féin moved a Dáil motion this week that calls on Government to stop hikes, end the financial penalties for paying motor tax in instalments, reverse the latest carbon tax increases on petrol and diesel, and to stand up to insurance companies once and for all.

“From the eye-watering price of petrol and diesel to the spiralling cost of insurance, drivers are being hammered with sky-rocketing costs.

“Now, drivers are facing a fresh round of toll hikes following the announcement by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) late last month.

“These are people who are commuting to work, driving their kids to school and just just living their lives.

“Government policies are pricing ordinary people out of this basic necessity – the ability to affordably get where you need to go," Teachta Clarke said.

The local Deputy said it was time for the Government to "stand up for commuters".

“Government cannot claim their hands are clean when it comes to the rip-off or that the factors driving up costs are outside of their control. The opposite is true.

“The record of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on motor insurance speaks volumes. They refuse to hold insurance companies to account. Sky-high premiums are all the more difficult to swallow given that the sector's profits have been above industry norms over the past few years.

“The Government’s latest so-called ‘action plan’ to lower insurance premiums follows a similar ‘plan’ brought forward last term that failed to make any difference whatsoever.

"Once again, their ‘plan’ is nothing more than a smokescreen to hide from the fact that this do nothing Government is all talk and no action," Teachta Clarke concluded.