To: Minister for the Environment Eoghan Murphy
Disincentive Diesel Cars
Increase car tax on diesel cars and increase price of diesel fuel
Why is this important?
Air pollution is responsible for up to 1,660 premature deaths in Ireland each year, according to the 2017 Air Quality in Europe report.
The Environmental Pillar pointed out that diesel fuel exhaust is one of the leading emitters of automotive greenhouse gases and particulate pollution, with the WHO clear that diesel exhaust fumes can cause cancer and emit ten times more health-damaging pollutants than petrol cars.
Diesel is taxed at 11c less per litre than petrol and as a result, Ireland has one of the highest percentage sales of diesel cars in Europe.
The OECD has recommended equalising the rate, while the European Commission has called Ireland's policy of taxing diesel less than petrol "environmentally unjustified".
According to the Budget spokesperson for the Environmental Pillar, Oisin Coghlan: "Minister [Denis] Naughten has continually repeated, air pollution is estimated to cause four deaths per day in this country and diesel fuel is a key contributors to that pollution.
