BY DIONNE MEEHAN
ACCORDING to the latest AA Ireland Fuel Survey, fuel prices have fallen to their lowest level since September 2021.
In a small survey of five local filling stations last week, the price of a litre of diesel ranged from €1.50 at Jones Oil in Letterkenny to €1.55 in Circle K in Letterkenny.
Coyles of Raphoe was €1.51, Kernans Eurospar in Newtowncunningham was €1.52 and Whoriskey’s Filling Station was €1.54 a litre.
According to AA Ireland’s most recent monthly survey the average price of diesel country-wide is €1.51 a litre, which is nine per cent less than last month.
Unleaded petrol prices have also dropped with the cheapest of those surveyed being Circle K in Letterkenny at €1.62 a litre.
The second cheapest were Whoriskey’s Filling Station in Ramelton and Coyles of Raphoe at €1.64 and the most expensive was Kernans Eurospar in Newtowncunningham at €1.65 a litre.
The average price of a litre of petrol is now €1.59 according to AA Ireland, the lowest since September 2021.
However, these prices are unlikely to last as a phased restoration of previously reduced rates of excise on petrol and diesel will take place in three stages over the coming months.
This reintroduction of duty will see rates restored on June 1, by 6 cents per litre of petrol and 5 cents per litre of diesel.
On September 1, these rates will increase by 7 cents for petrol and 5 cents for diesel.
The Government will fully restore the rates on October 31, with a final increase of 8 cents for petrol and 6 cents for diesel.
AA Ireland’s Head of Communications, Paddy Comyn has warned that motorists won’t be able to enjoy these prices for too long.
“We already know that unless prices fall again, then petrol will be back up to around €1.80 per litre and diesel to €1.76 per litre by the end of October. Which were the same as at the start of the Ukraine conflict,” he said.
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