AA Ireland says fuel prices are rising again with diesel now close to EUR 2 per litre. Motorists are spending EUR 2,000 per year to keep their cars going. And the cost of running the average car is up by EUR 700 per year since 2020.
However, the Government excise duty cut of 20c per litre on petrol and 15c on diesel will endure until August.
An iReach survey conducted for insurer Aviva shows that a third of drivers are now spending EUR 200 per month to fuel their cars.
Meanwhile, the Central Statistics Office shows that diesel prices increased by 46pc in the year to March, and petrol prices are up by 35pc.
The iReach research reveals that one in 10 motorists use their car for essential journeys. Younger people walk more. And while different age groups spend differently, half of the people surveyed between 25 and 34 years of age are forking out more than EUR 200 per month on fuel. Some people are unable to reduce their fuel consumption because they can’t change the amount of time they spend on the road.
Aviva’s Billy Shannon said residents in the rural areas, as well as those with young children, were bearing the brunt of the higher fuel prices. The cost of travelling to and from work, as well as to school for various events, training, classes, camps and courses was taking its toll.