Part of the tough austerity measures announced by the Irish government in its recovery package will be a huge hike in carbon tax. The government describes it as a move to counter climate change, but it is certainly part of the drive to raise taxes and revenue say critics. The government has taken €168.5M in carbon taxes this year and this will double over the next four years to €330M. In the 2010 budget a carbon tax was introduced at a rate of €15 per tonne, this will increase to €30 per tonne by 2014.
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