Diesel, petrol, oil price watch

[Armagh18]

This is the third time in 5 years that the economic system goes nuts.  It's the second dose of inflation.

Would anyone consider an electric car? No exposure to oil prices.

Not the be all and end all either. Electric price shocks are coming. Takes longer to filter through.

That's where we need more solar/wind/nuclear electricity generation.

[johnnycool]

This is the third time in 5 years that the economic system goes nuts.  It's the second dose of inflation.

Would anyone consider an electric car? No exposure to oil prices.

I'm looking at one via a company salary sacrifice scheme, payments come out pre tax so you save quite a bit there already. You do get hit for a bit of benefit in kind though.

Everything is covered, tyres, insurance, service etc and you give it back after 3 years and go again if you want.

Anyone who is on the scheme I've spoken to say its a no brainer and the best thing they have done.

[RadioGAAGAA]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

[Armagh18]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

All well and good but people are still paying €2-€2.20 for diesel across the board so aren't feeling the benefit of any government action. Telling them they should be grateful that it's not €2.50 isn't going to work either.

[Milltown Row2]

This is the third time in 5 years that the economic system goes nuts.  It's the second dose of inflation.

Would anyone consider an electric car? No exposure to oil prices.

I'm looking at one via a company salary sacrifice scheme, payments come out pre tax so you save quite a bit there already. You do get hit for a bit of benefit in kind though.

Everything is covered, tyres, insurance, service etc and you give it back after 3 years and go again if you want.

Anyone who is on the scheme I've spoken to say its a no brainer and the best thing they have done.

The logic behind Thatcher's approach had some merit they were badly mismanaged and constant bail out by the government anyway to the cost of the tax payer, but the reality was it was exactly the same and her cronnies made serious money out of it and they continued to be mismanaged and bailed out by the government and the tax payer still lost out lol!

So how do they fix it again by taking back and nationalising these companies again?

[RadioGAAGAA]

When or by whom was it decided we had almost reached wind capacity?
I'm looking at a big hungry mountain in Laythrum with not a wind turbine in sight.
To my left on the horizon is a high hill in Roscommon with a load of turbines.

Read any research paper, Ireland is the world's highest user of wind power with the exception of Denmark, who export massive amounts of spare energy to the Germans. We're not in a position to do that.

I'd take the opinion of experts over some bollix looking out his window at mountain in Leitrim.

Only reaching capacity because of grid infrastructure but Ireland has ability to double it from 35% wind generated to 70% with upgrades to grid. The plan was to get to that by 2030, likely ambitious. Quicker we lessen the need for fossil fuels the better. Not in a position today but in a unique position to get there with a bit of forward thinking.

Going that high without a paradigm shift in energy storage technology simply isn't possible.

Even an offshore wind turbine only produces its rated power <35% of the time. On shore its <30% IIRC.

Say offshore farms were built; for wind fluctuations along the coast, you'd need at least 3 turbines at different locations to more or less guarantee the power of 1. Then if there is no wind anywhere on the coast, your needing another source entirely.

A mix of solar and wind is good at providing some redundancy - but the problem remains buffering out the fluctuations of supply to provide power when demand requests it. Battery based storage is hideously expensive.

Also - if Seagen in Strangford lough didn't present a case so compelling it immediately moved to large scale - I'm not sure what the prospects are for tidal energy distributed along the west coast. The geography of the lough would mean it the most viable source of tidal energy in Europe; possibly even the world. That said, the related MayGen in Scotland seems to be expanding - which would infer commercial viability.


So why no new development in Strangford lough? Stormont asleep?

[Rossfan]

Germany population 84,000,000
€1.6Bn package for 2 months, €20 per head.
Here pop 5,500,000.
€750m package for 4 months. c€150 per head.

[Milltown Row2]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

All well and good but people are still paying €2-€2.20 for diesel across the board so aren't feeling the benefit of any government action. Telling them they should be grateful that it's not €2.50 isn't going to work either.

Filled the car there and its an extra tenner overall from before the hike, that's going to work out at £520 a year extra, twice that for two household cars, add in the extra for oil (was double the price) and if there is a electric hike in charges it fairly adds up..

I think the government are slow to make changes as they are making the money from the tax duty on these, hoping that the war will stop and go back to normal before losing out..

I can sort of accept that global changes will have market reaction and that's the way of the world now, so if that is the case what measures need to be doe by the governments now to counter that going forward?

I personally don't know any breadline farmers, I know plenty of breadline pensioners living off a state pension that barely covers their heat/eat needs, so forgive me that I'll not shed too much for the farmers plight, finding better ways of running their business is no different to any business that comes up against adversary, you adapt.

Blocking roads is pure bollocks, and achieves nothing, use your vote to change it find a party that will work for you, the issue in that is they all fall into line with the previous feckers!

Things need to be put in place so that governments are not reliant on (as much) outside problems. Nuclear power plants, not everyone's cup of tea but they do work, France as an example of that. 

[NAG1]

Analysts are saying that this could lead to increased fuel/ gas costs for up to 5 years due to the infrastructure damage that's already been done and the potential for what is yet to come.

I think we may strap in as it is going to be bumpy over the next while and near future.

[Rossfan]

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/advice/european-fuel-prices-petrol-and-diesel-prices-in-europe/

[maddog]

€2.49 at a Carrefour outside Lille on Monday.

[Armagh18]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

All well and good but people are still paying €2-€2.20 for diesel across the board so aren't feeling the benefit of any government action. Telling them they should be grateful that it's not €2.50 isn't going to work either.

Filled the car there and its an extra tenner overall from before the hike, that's going to work out at £520 a year extra, twice that for two household cars, add in the extra for oil (was double the price) and if there is a electric hike in charges it fairly adds up..

I think the government are slow to make changes as they are making the money from the tax duty on these, hoping that the war will stop and go back to normal before losing out..

I can sort of accept that global changes will have market reaction and that's the way of the world now, so if that is the case what measures need to be doe by the governments now to counter that going forward?

I personally don't know any breadline farmers, I know plenty of breadline pensioners living off a state pension that barely covers their heat/eat needs, so forgive me that I'll not shed too much for the farmers plight, finding better ways of running their business is no different to any business that comes up against adversary, you adapt.

Blocking roads is pure bollocks, and achieves nothing, use your vote to change it find a party that will work for you, the issue in that is they all fall into line with the previous feckers!

Things need to be put in place so that governments are not reliant on (as much) outside problems. Nuclear power plants, not everyone's cup of tea but they do work, France as an example of that. 

Mustn't know too many then. Genuinely a crisis, fuel, fertiliser, power, feed costs all massively increased this last few years and unlike most businesses they can't simply decide to charge more at the factory/from the milk company for what they produce.

[the_daddy]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

All well and good but people are still paying €2-€2.20 for diesel across the board so aren't feeling the benefit of any government action. Telling them they should be grateful that it's not €2.50 isn't going to work either.

Filled the car there and its an extra tenner overall from before the hike, that's going to work out at £520 a year extra, twice that for two household cars, add in the extra for oil (was double the price) and if there is a electric hike in charges it fairly adds up..

I think the government are slow to make changes as they are making the money from the tax duty on these, hoping that the war will stop and go back to normal before losing out..

I can sort of accept that global changes will have market reaction and that's the way of the world now, so if that is the case what measures need to be doe by the governments now to counter that going forward?

I personally don't know any breadline farmers, I know plenty of breadline pensioners living off a state pension that barely covers their heat/eat needs, so forgive me that I'll not shed too much for the farmers plight, finding better ways of running their business is no different to any business that comes up against adversary, you adapt.

Blocking roads is pure bollocks, and achieves nothing, use your vote to change it find a party that will work for you, the issue in that is they all fall into line with the previous feckers!

Things need to be put in place so that governments are not reliant on (as much) outside problems. Nuclear power plants, not everyone's cup of tea but they do work, France as an example of that. 

Mustn't know too many then. Genuinely a crisis, fuel, fertiliser, power, feed costs all massively increased this last few years and unlike most businesses they can't simply decide to charge more at the factory/from the milk company for what they produce.

Indeed, and not one earning more than £12750.

[Armagh18]

But they did ease it weeks ago. Back in March excise duty was cut in response to the hikes. It cost €250 million to do.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ireland-temporarily-cut-fuel-duty-235-million-euro-energy-package-2026-03-23/

Why are people either not aware of this or choosing to ignore it?

People are aware but it really isn't worth one f**k when diesel is over €2 a litre. May as well go into the delivery suite with a condom.

Have to admit, I hadn't realised they'd acted in advance of the protests... although I'm still a bit fuzzy on the exact timelines of what happened when.

There also has been changes made by govt after the protests.

All well and good but people are still paying €2-€2.20 for diesel across the board so aren't feeling the benefit of any government action. Telling them they should be grateful that it's not €2.50 isn't going to work either.

Filled the car there and its an extra tenner overall from before the hike, that's going to work out at £520 a year extra, twice that for two household cars, add in the extra for oil (was double the price) and if there is a electric hike in charges it fairly adds up..

I think the government are slow to make changes as they are making the money from the tax duty on these, hoping that the war will stop and go back to normal before losing out..

I can sort of accept that global changes will have market reaction and that's the way of the world now, so if that is the case what measures need to be doe by the governments now to counter that going forward?

I personally don't know any breadline farmers, I know plenty of breadline pensioners living off a state pension that barely covers their heat/eat needs, so forgive me that I'll not shed too much for the farmers plight, finding better ways of running their business is no different to any business that comes up against adversary, you adapt.

Blocking roads is pure bollocks, and achieves nothing, use your vote to change it find a party that will work for you, the issue in that is they all fall into line with the previous feckers!

Things need to be put in place so that governments are not reliant on (as much) outside problems. Nuclear power plants, not everyone's cup of tea but they do work, France as an example of that. 

Mustn't know too many then. Genuinely a crisis, fuel, fertiliser, power, feed costs all massively increased this last few years and unlike most businesses they can't simply decide to charge more at the factory/from the milk company for what they produce.

Indeed, and not one earning more than £12750.

Well if you're earning more than that you're definitely doing something wrong

[Rossfan]

A post I came across on Social media-
The background to the protests is the ongoing diesel and petrol prices that the whole of Europe is facing as a result of the USA/Iran war.
The farming and haulage businesses in Ireland are having to deal with a sharp reduction in profit margins.
But I want to discuss the insidious influence of the far right in the protests.
Let's start with the self proclaimed leaders,
pictured below.
First we have Christopher Duffy , an known mysoginst and cheerleader for his anti immigrant views. Both he and John Dollan  have used far right platforms to put forward their overtly racist views, notably on a livestream hosted by Niall McConnell a know far right activist.
Finally, John Geoghegan who has appeared on a far right livestream with Philip Dwyer, another far right activist.
He also has orders against him of €550,000 by the Revenue and for animal cruelty.

Now we have Conor McGregor, the disgusting Katie Hopkins and the contemptible Tommy Robinson sticking their noses in.
I'm not saying that the protestors are anything but sincere but they need to wake up and smell the coffee because their so called leaders have an agenda here that is nothing to do with fuel prices and everything to do with immigrants, who's numbers are in sharp decline anyway.