Government vows no move on fuel duties

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen will not consider changes to excise on fuel before the next budget despite spiralling costs.

According to AA Ireland's latest survey, the price of petrol and diesel has hit an all-time high.

Petrol now costs an average of 102.4 cent per litre, up by 3.7 cent in the last month. Diesel rose by 2.3 cent and now costs an average of 101.7 cent per litre.

They are the highest prices since fuel was deregulated in October of 1991.

AA Ireland public affairs manager Conor Faughnan said motorist can save a lot of money by shopping around and looking for the best value. "Prices vary considerably from one service station to the next.

"No matter what area you are in, most people can save as much as five cent per litre by seeking out the cheapest garage they can find locally. Five cent adds up very quickly: it can save you €2.50 every time you fill the tank of an ordinary family car."

Jimmy Quinn of the Irish Road Hauliers' Association (IRHA) said 100 members could go out of business in the next year if something is not done.

"It is not good enough for the Government to sit on its hands and say we cannot do anything until the Budget," Mr Quinn said. "They could introduce a scheme where fully licenced and fully tax-compliant hauliers are given a tax rebate on the amount of fuel burned."

He said there were no plans to mount protests over the issue. "A protest is the ultimate sign of failure. We're exploring all options before protest becomes an option."

But he warned: "People are getting impatient." Mr Quinn said Ireland would need to move away from its reliance on imported fuel and on reliance on roads for transport. "People will have to get their thinking caps on," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Cowen told ireland.com "nothing will be done before the next Budget."

Progressive Democrats TD Fiona O'Malley called on the Government to "get serious" about its efforts to develop alternative fuel sources.

"We are one of the most oil-dependent countries in the world. Experts agree that oil prices are an upward curve and we could soon see prices of $100 dollars a barrel.

"The only long-term solution for a country like Ireland is to develop alternative fuel supplies. However, our bio-fuels industry is virtually non-existent due to a failure by successive administrations to give it the kick-start it needs."