Petrol prices 'stubbornly high'

Almost every family in the country is being affected by the "stubbornly high" cost of motor fuel, AA Ireland has said.

The organisation's monthly index of fuel prices, published today, shows an increase of 2.6 cent in the price of petrol Ireland during the month of April.

The latest survey shows petrol reaching a record high average price of 153.3 cent per litre. While diesel fell very slightly to 146.0 cent on average, down 0.3 cent, this was due in part to seasonal factors.

The latest price rise means that the cost of a month's fuel for a typical motorist is now €229.95 (based on 12,000 miles per year at a fuel economy rate of 30 miles per gallon, typical for a mixture of urban and rural driving).

Describing the increase in petrol prices as "remorseless", AA Ireland policy director Conor Faughnan said the upwards trend was "frustrating".

"The combination of oil prices, currency fluctuations and the price of wholesale product has played against us once again, pushing up our cost of living in a way that affects almost every family in the country," Mr Faughnan said.

Demand for diesel tends to be seasonal with increased demand during the Northern hemisphere winter.

"Seeing petrol rise in price faster than diesel seems a little strange but that is often the case at this time of year," Mr Faughnan said. "Nevertheless, the price of both fuels remains stubbornly high."

Indicating a greater sensitivity to the cost of fuel among car buyers, diesel is now the fuel of choice for new cars, with over 70 per cent of new passenger car sales this year in the diesel category.