Community Law & Mediation (CLM) has called on the Government to develop and implement an inter-departmental strategy to tackle fuel poverty, before introducing any increase in the rate of carbon taxation.

The community-law centre and charity argues that fuel poverty, and a lack of public transport infrastructure, threaten to undermine the potential gains of any carbon tax measures brought in under Budget 2022.

CLM says that many of the people who access its services are “locked into emissions”, due to factors beyond their control – including a lack of access to affordable clean energy and reliable public transport, or an inability to work from home

Its Budget 2022 submission says that the Government should not increase the rate of carbon taxation in Budget 2022.

Call for halt to data centres

It also calls for enhanced supports and retro-fit programmes to address energy poverty on a cross-departmental basis.

CLM also backs a cap on the level of electricity demand that can be accommodated by the grid, and a moratorium on data-centre development until this policy is developed.

“Without significant interventions in Ireland, an increase in carbon taxation is likely to result in an increase of the proportion of households experiencing energy poverty, with those who are unemployed or retired, one-parent families, and members of the Traveller community at particular risk,” said CLM’s chief executive Rose Wall (pictured).