Motorists, farmers, contractors and truckers in Donegal who joined the nation’s fuel protests said they are angry that the government could only afford to pay them an extra €505 million despite a surplus of €9 billion by Budget Day on October 6th. The spring statement which is the halfway point between the two budgets is predicting corporation tax of €35.3 billion - an increase of 2.4 billion. Farmers and agri contractors said they are furious with the outcome of the recent talks with the government that could only deliver €755 million and this is less than 12% of the actual surplus. They point to the cost of green diesel retailing at €1.80 a litre compared to €1 per a litre in mid February. The cost increase for a 1000 litre fill is up by €800. Amid speculation that government leaders would have known of this information when they engaged with three groups, it is pointed out that the final payout to this sector of the protest on 1,000 litre fill of farm diesel will only amount to €274 and this will users shortchanged by €525 per fill - and they face a long wait before the subsidy is paid out.
