Petrol prices hit highest level this year 

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said the decision to now increase duties that was made in last year’s budget must be followed through.

The price of petrol has risen to its highest level this year, with the average price now standing at 183c per litre at the pumps.

While the cost of filling the car with petrol has increased, diesel has actually fallen since last month, by 2c to 176c a litre, according to AA Ireland.

Prices had been on their way down in 2024, but the Government’s phasing-out of the cuts to excise duties — which began last month — have seen the cost of filling a car rise again.

The cuts were initially brought in in response to the skyrocketing fuel costs arising from the war in Ukraine in 2022. But Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said the decision to now increase duties that was made in last year’s budget must be followed through.

“ Inflation is still a challenge,” he said in March. “But inflation is beginning to fall, and the fuel and energy related component of inflation is falling quicker.” 

The first increase in April saw 4c added to petrol and 3c to a litre of diesel. A similar hike will also take effect this August.

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The AA’s head of marketing and PR Jennifer Kilduff said May’s prices for fuel were staying somewhat constant after the sharp rise seen last month.

“Despite the steep increases we have seen over the past few months, the average cost of fuel in May has not changed too much,” she said. 

“We would like to see them decrease but for now we’ll take the small win that fuel prices overall remain relatively unchanged this month.”

Ms Kilduff added electric vehicle fuelling costs remained the same this month, which means electric car owners can expect to pay about €925 a year to cover the national average distance travelled of 17,000km a year.