Record high petrol and diesel prices 'worrying for everyone'

Average fuel prices for petrol and diesel are at an all-time high in Ireland, according to data collected by the AA.

The average price for unleaded petrol is now 172.6 cents per litre, with the average price for diesel standing at 163.3 cents per litre.

These are the highest figures since the AA began recording them in 1991.

The figures equate to a 27 per cent increase in the price of petrol and a 28 per cent increase in the price of diesel fuel, compared to this time last year.

“We are now seeing record high fuel prices in this country. It is very worrying for everyone, but especially lower-income families in rural areas who are unsure whether they will be able to afford fuel for their cars, or even heat their homes,” said AA Ireland head of communications Paddy Comyn.

The AA said a combination of factors has led to the increase in fuel prices globally, including oil production plummeting during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s very expensive when you have a family trying to budget and pay their mortgage, groceries and general expenses. People in rural Ireland rely on their cars. They don’t have the public transport infrastructure to support their daily lives,” Mr Comyn said.

He said prices will continue to rise, and called for changes in the area of taxation.