Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has condemned the carbon tax hike on home heating fuels, calling it a "blow" to households that are struggling with high energy costs.

The forthcoming tax hike will affect both home heating and gas. In the last three years alone, gas prices have surged by 41 percent.

In a statement as the increase was announced yesterday, 1 May, Teachta Doherty said: "Workers and families continue to struggle with high energy costs and the broader cost of living crisis. When the government should be making all efforts to reduce living costs for households, instead they are increasing them.

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"Today the government has pushed through another carbon tax hike on fuels such as home heating and gas. Gas prices have increased by a staggering 41 percent in the past 3 years. The price of solid fuels has increased by 48 percent in the same period. Not content with these massive price rises which households have endured, this out-of-touch government has today increased these prices even further.

"This is the last thing households need and is again the wrong decision at the wrong time by this failing government. In the past month, this government has now increased the price of petrol, diesel, gas and solid fuels – why is Simon Harris and his government so determined to make life so difficult for ordinary workers and families?

"Sinn Féin has been crystal clear that should we have the opportunity to serve in government, there will be no further increases in the carbon tax."