Diesel and petrol prices continue to surge

The national average pump price for diesel surged to around €1.90 per litre, an increase from €1.72 in February, according to AA Ireland’s fuel price survey for March.

Petrol rose to around €1.81 per litre, which is an eight-cent increase from February’s €1.73.

While these figures are the current national average, the cost of diesel has been reported in excess of €2.10 per litre at a number of forecourts.

The pre-tax price of diesel is approximately 83 cent per litre and that of petrol is around 66 cent per litre; the remainder is made up of excise duty, carbon tax, the NORA levy and VAT.

This represents up to 60 per cent or more of the price per litre at the pump.

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) warned that diesel has exceeded €2 per litre, while fuel card companies have advised clients to expect increases of over 12 cent per litre.

For electric vehicle owners, AA Ireland reports an unchanged situation with home-charging rates and pay-as-you-go rates remaining static.