This increase will "hurt these families"
Sinn Fein has called for the government to scrap plans to increase the cost of petrol and diesel.
It raised a report by Barnardos, which found 47 percent of families have had to cut back on essentials in order to make ends meet.
The cost of petrol is due to increase twice before the end of the year, as a result of carbon tax rises and excise duty restorations.
In the Dail, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald urged the government not to press ahead with this.
She said: "You must know that raising the cost of petrol and diesel again and again will hurt these families. So don't do it."
