Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013
378. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which petrol and diesel prices at filling stations here are comparable and competitive with those applying throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20411/13]
View answerThe European Commission maintains a Statistics and Market Observatory, which presents consumer prices and net prices (excluding duties and taxes) of petroleum products in EU Member States (known as the Oil Bulletin) on a weekly basis. The Oil Bulletin is designed to improve the transparency of oil prices and to strengthen the internal market. The relevant link is http://ec.europa.eu/energy/observatory/oil/bulletin_en.htm. In addition to the weekly oil bulletins, the Commission also, on a less frequent basis, produces three maps of Europe with the euro prices for petrol, diesel and the varying national tax take for these two products in each of the 27 EU Member States. The maps currently provide the clearest overview comparison of the price differences between Member States.
The oil bulletin of 15 April 2013 shows the price of petrol in Ireland was €1.62 per litre including taxes and duties, while the price of diesel was €1.55 per litre including taxes and duties. The weighted EU average for the EU 27 for the same week was €1.59 per litre for petrol including taxes and duties and €1.45 per litre for diesel including taxes and duties. A separate analysis relating to the Euro area only (17 Member States) shows the weighted average price for petrol was €1.62 per litre and for diesel was €1.43 per litre. As can be seen from the reports on the European Commission website, prices in EU Member States and the weighted averages fluctuate on a weekly basis. While Ireland's diesel prices in that particular week were higher than the EU average, our petrol prices were comparable with the weighted average in Euro area countries. There have also been times in the recent past when Irish prices have fallen below the European weighted average.
I have no statutory function in the setting of oil prices. The price paid at the pump by consumers is largely determined by taxation levels, the internationally traded price of crude and the consequent price the refined product is traded at in Europe, and the level of competition in the retail market. The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated and there is free entry to the market. Upward trends in global oil prices underscore the Government’s commitment to delivering national energy efficiency and renewable energy objectives, which are aimed at moving the economy away from reliance on imported, carbon intensive fossil fuels such as oil.
