Petrol prices in Ireland fell for the first time since October 2010, dropping 2 cent to an average of 151.3 cent per litre. There was an even sharper drop in diesel prices, falling by 3.2 cent to an average of 142.8 cent.
The AA fuel price survey shows some relief for Irish motorists, but cautions drivers to continue shopping around for the best deal. Conor Faughnan, Director of Policy for the AA, said: "It's a question of being thankful for small mercies. For the first time in eight months petrol prices did not get any worse. The small drop is helpful but we are still dealing with record high prices overall. We still have high oil prices combined with inflated Irish taxes. With both oil prices and the exchange rate between the Euro and the Dollar remaining volatile we are not out of the woods yet."
The drop in prices means the typical Irish driver is now paying €227.55 per month for fuel, based on an annual mileage of 19,312 kilometres (12,000 miles) and fuel consumption of 9.4 litres/100km (30mpg).
Faughnan also warned drivers not to be tempted to use illegal laundered diesel in an attempt to save money. He said: "There is no doubt that we have a problem out there with dodgy diesel. Earlier this month the Garda and Customs raided a fuel laundering plant in Co. Monaghan with the capacity to produce 20 million litres per annum. That's enough to supply 10 service stations all year round, which gives an idea of the scale of the problem."
Drivers found with laundered diesel in their cars' tanks face a fine of up to €5,000.