Irish consumers are paying significantly more for petrol, diesel and home heating oil than their European counterparts and the price differential is widening, according to Fine Gael.
Figures released by the European Commission in their weekly oil bulletin surveying the price of petroleum products in EU member states show pre-tax prices for petrol in this State on November 24th last were 24 per cent higher than the European Union average.
The price of home heating oil was 19 per cent dearer while diesel prices were on average 18 per cent more expensive.
Irish consumers now pay on average 8.7 cent more per litre of petrol than their European Union neighbours, 9.1 cent more per litre of diesel and 9.3 cent more for a litre of home heating oil.
The difference in prices for November was also larger than that recorded in October indicating Irish producers were not passing on the fall in global oil prices as quickly as their European counterparts, according to Fine Gael's finance spokesman Richard Bruton.
Mr Bruton said the difference in prices was costing Irish consumers €30 million per month and said Irish markets are still responding far more slowly than their European counterparts to falling oil prices.
He added that Irish consumers simply cannot afford to be put at this huge competitive disadvantage in these very difficult times.
"The Fianna Fáil Government is aware of these figures and is updated of the results on a monthly basis, yet it refuses to intervene. For a start, every motor fuel outlet should be obliged to e-mail its fuel prices to the National Consumer Authority to allow the dearest and cheapest garages to be clearly mapped and made accessible to consumers," he said.
