Irish families face 10% hike in energy costs from carbon tax

Irish families are bracing for a 10% increase in energy bills following Environment Minister Eamon Ryan’s proposal to impose another carbon tax.

Ryan received cabinet approval last year for a new rule that would require electric companies to provide more renewable energy to households and businesses, which is costlier than energy sourced from oil, coal and gas. The new rule would require higher and higher percentages of energy sales to be renewable. According to Environment Department estimates, “maximum fuel costs” could increase by 10.4% by 2030.

The proposal comes as another carbon tax in May increased the price per ton of fossil fuels by €7.50 ($8.18) to €48.50 ($52.81). 

Ireland is joined by other globalist governments, including Canada’s Trudeau administration, which is forging ahead with plans to transition the country to “net zero” electricity despite admitting that it will be costly for taxpayers.

According to a staff memo from Environment and Climate Change Canada, clean electricity will “increase costs,” though the department does not know by how much.

"As the economy transitions to net zero by 2050, there will be increased demand for clean electricity to decarbonize other sectors such as transportation or buildings," said the memo, according to Rebel News.

"This expansion of clean electricity supply towards 2050 will increase costs. Some experts are predicting that demand could double by 2050."

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in May slammed the government’s “net zero” plans and told Albertans to expect a 40% increase in electricity bills.

Canadian taxpayers are already reeling from a carbon tax the Trudeau administration imposed last month to “protect the climate.”

Ireland’s government has been proposing increasingly restrictive climate mandates on taxpayers, particularly farmers.

Thousands of Irish farmers last month took to the streets in protest against government proposals that would damage their livelihoods to “fight climate change”.

A recent report by Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented to the European Commission claims that Ireland’s nitrogen emissions are too high, due in part to the flatulence and excretions of livestock. To remedy this, the report suggests lowering the cap on nitrogen emissions by livestock — referred to as the organic nitrogen stocking rate — from 250 kg (551 lbs) to 220 kg (485 lbs) in 2024. Farmers say this would significantly impact their operations, even forcing them to cull their herds.

The report comes as the country’s Agriculture Ministry considers a €600 million ($641.4 million) initiative to remove 65,000 cows per year from the national herd to meet its “climate goals.”

The funds would be used to pay farmers €3,000 ($3,217) for each cow that they cut from the breeding herd.

“Approximately 60,000–65,000 dairy cows per annum would need to be displaced in 2023, 2024 and 2025. This would allow for some modest growth for new entrants and young farmers (10,000 per year),” said the proposal, obtained via a Freedom of Information request.