A TD has criticised the government's cut to green diesel and other fuels announced yesterday (Tuesday, March 24) as a "non-event".

Offaly TD Carol Nolan described the reductions as "paltry" and "a slap in the face".

Yesterday, the government moved to reduce the cost of fuel, which has increased sharply as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

Green diesel has been particularly impacted as a result.

The government knocked 3c/L off the price of green diesel, and also cut the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy by 2c/L to a "nominal amount" for a period of two months.

This brings the total cut for green diesel to 5c/L. However, for petrol and road diesel, the cuts announced yesterday are between 17c/L and 22c/L.

Nolan claimed that the government's decision yesterday is "one of the greatest non-events and con-jobs in this government's lifetime".

She added: "The paltry reductions come despite the fact that members of government parties are acting as if they are latter-day St. Vincent de Paul's, coming to the rescue of the oppressed Irish household."

The Offaly TD said: "What the government delivered was the thin gruel of a miserly administration, when what people needed, including hauliers, was a far more expansive package of supports that included a suspension of the Carbon Tax and the elimination of duty on home heating oil.

"It is beyond farcical to witness this level of gaslighting and they need to be called out on it," Nolan commented.

The TD said that she did not vote to pass the government's proposed measures, giving her reason as the lack of action on the Carbon Tax, and the fact the an amendment in the Dáil to remove the home heating oil excise duty was not passed.

"What they got was a slap in the face from an arrogant government that seems to genuinely believe the bare minimum is equivalent to maximum effort," Nolan claimed.

Impact on housing

Meanwhile, Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice criticised the government's cut to green diesel costs, claiming the reduction is "disconnected from reality".

Fitzmaurice said that the cost of fuel would be passed back to businesses that use green diesel, meaning the cost of food production, as well as housing and infrastructure delivery, could increase.

"The government has zero interest in reducing the cost of housing. Every aspect of building houses requires green diesel," he said.

"Failure to address the soaring costs will be passed directly onto homebuyers and will only exacerbate the crisis we face in affordable housing delivery.

"The same applies to dumpers, to machinery working on water and sewage infrastructure - every single piece of equipment is more expensive to run because of these increases," the Roscommon-Galway TD said.

"Green diesel has gone up by roughly 70c/L, and the government is giving back a measly 5c. It is completely disconnected from reality," he added.

Fitzmaurice claimed that the government's decision not to suspend the Carbon Tax "is going to impact every aspect of housing delivery, infrastructure and food production, and the people will suffer as a result".

On farming and food production, the TD highlighted that silage season in approaching, saying: "A silage harvester takes up to 1,000L to fill.

"Where is the money supposed to come from? There is no rebate, no support, nothing," he said.

He warned that this will increase food prices, saying: "Farmers and contractors cannot absorb these increases.

"The pressure will be passed right through the system, ultimately hitting consumers at the checkout."