Concern has been raised over the proposed reintroduction of duty on petrol and diesel next month, which could see the price of a full tank rise by €10.
The Automobile Association (AA) is calling on government to stagger the reintroduction of the duty, in a bid to avoid massive queues and panic buying at the pumps.
A spokesperson for AA said: "A more prudent approach would be to stagger this over two to three months."
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Excise is a duty that is added to the sale of mineral oils, cigarettes and alcohol. It is a fixed amount which is charged per litre and does not change as the price fluctuates.
The average petrol price across the state sits at €1.65 in February, 2.5% more than last month. Diesel in February dropped slightly, with the average at €1.68, 1.7% less than last month.
The average petrol driver now spends around €2,003 per year on fuel, the average diesel buyer €1,680 and the average EV driver €1,306, on electricity.
The proposed cessation of the excise duty on petrol and diesel at the end of February will increase fuel prices by 15 cents per litre for diesel and 20 cents per litre for petrol.
AA Ireland wants this increase to be staggered to avoid difficulties at fuel stations.
They also noted the introduction of a new fuel blend to Ireland, E10, which they said they have been "told nothing about its introduction."
"Also, we need clarity around the possible switching off the excise duty reductions overnight, which will inevitably lead to anxiety leading up to the end of February, which could lead to tailback filling stations or pumps running dry in certain areas," a spokesperson added.
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