Major warning to thousands of Irish drivers as latest price hike hits petrol costs
Irish
Advertisement
The price hike was announced in last year's
With the latest price hike, drivers with an average car with a petrol tank of 60litres will have to pay an extra €1.28 for
Since October, the carbon tax rate per tonne for petrol and
It is expected that every budget will include higher carbon taxes to discourage the usage of fossil fuels.
Advertisement
READ MORE ON MOTORS
This means it is expected to reach €100 per tonne as part of the plan by 2030.
And the household gas bills will also see a rise of around €16 manually.
THREE MONEY CHANGES IN MAY
Households across the country should be aware of a number of social welfare and bill changes coming next month.
MAY BANK HOLIDAY
- MAY 5
The May
JOBSEEKER'S BENEFIT
The Pay-Related Jobseeker's Benefit was rolled out from March 31, providing a huge boost for thousands of people. It will be available for those who become fully unemployed on or after March 31 and have enough pay-related social insurance contributions, also known as PRSI. This means, anyone who became unemployed in May can now apply for the social welfare boost, which can be worth up to €450.
CARBON TAX
It was confirmed that the rate of carbon tax for petrol and diesel would increase to €63.50 per tonne from €56 per tonne on October 9, 2024 as part of the Budget 2025. It is expected to reach €100 per tonne as part of a plan to discourage fossil fuel use by 2030. The increase will apply to all other fuels from May 1.
Elsewhere, an urgent warning has been issued to
Irish drivers could be unknowingly racking up penalty points and fines for everyday mistakes on the
Advertisement
Most read in Motors
Sponsored
But fear not,
I'm an Irish driving instructor and here are the three main questions you can be asked about under the bonnet on the day
The first common offence is ignoring the vehicle length or width signs when their vehicle exceeds the limit, facing up to a €120 fine.
Drivers should be aware that driving past a sign revealing a maximum vehicle length or width when their vehicle is too large is a simple mistake that can lead to penalty points and fines.
If caught, the
Advertisement
Chill Insurance urges people to know vehicle length restrictions, especially when planning routes through unfamiliar or rural areas.
Next up is the failure to yield at junctions, roundabouts or where yield signs are in place, which can result in two penalty points and an €80 fine, which will rise to four points and up to €160 if unpaid or taken to court.
Drivers are urged to watch for road markings and signs and give way when necessary; failure to provide the right of way can lead to collisions and obstructions.
FAILURE TO OBEY GARDA SIGNAL
The third common mistake is over the failure to obey a
Advertisement
Gardai are responsible for enforcing road traffic laws and keeping the public
; failure to follow their instructions can cause confusion and accidents
.
For example, disobeying a Garda signal includes not stopping when signalled to pull over, ignoring a hand signal or verbal instruction.
Insurance experts highlighted the importance of following the Garda's instructions and doing it safely.
Another common mistake is parking a vehicle in a dangerous position, which could lead to three penalty points and a €80 fine, increasing up to five points and up to €160 if not paid.
Advertisement
1
Fuel prices are set to increase from May 1
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Ireland's govt hit with €46k rent hike as taxpayer forced to foot €508k ambassador bill after ‘unsuccessful' negotiation
The Dept is also looking to buy a residence outright ON THE UP ON THE UP Ireland's govt hit with €46k rent hike as taxpayer forced to foot €508k ambassador bill after 'unsuccessful' negotiation ANNUAL rent for the Irish Ambassador's residence in London was increased by more than €46,000. And the Department of Foreign Affairs said it had little choice but to agree to the hike — even though it brought the cost of the pad close to €10,000 per week. The new lease of €508,925 per annum — a rise of ten per cent — was agreed in September 2022 because no better options were available, according to records released under FOI. The Irish Ambassador to the UK, formerly Adrian O'Neill and now Martin Fraser, had been living in the property since September 2019. And in late 2022, when the Dept of Foreign Affairs sought to extend the lease, the landlord said they wanted a 'substantial increase' in rent of over 11 per cent. Officials tried to negotiate but 'after several months, the landlord indicated that they would not accept any offer below £8,400 (€9,787) per week'. A spokesperson said: 'It was clear that a move would have no added benefit and would incur an additional cost to the Irish Exchequer. 'Accordingly, the Department decided to renew the lease to September 2026.' The Dept is also looking to buy a residence outright. Last year, sky-high lease costs included payments of €485,000 for Ireland's official residence in Tokyo. We also fork out €291,000 for an apartment in New York, and €204,000 for a pad in San Francisco. The rental bill in Tel Aviv, Israel, was almost €200,000, around €176,000 in Boston, and €135,000 in the South Korean capital Seoul. The Department also ran up 15 separate hotel and accommodation bills in excess of €5,000 last year, according to FoI figures. This included a spend of €30,480 at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin 4 to host a delegation during the state visit by To Lam, the former President of Vietnam, last October. HUGE COSTS There was another bill of €9,300 from the same hotel for a visit by the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in December. And €5,241 was spent on accommodation at the Seven Alpina Hotel as part of Ireland's participation in the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Department said an €8,408 bill at the four-star Fifty Sonesta Hotel in New York was for a staff member taking up a new posting. Among the other bills last year were €24,054 paid to the Dublin Airport Authority for platinum services for visiting dignitaries. Around €64,000 was spent on chauffeured cars with €11,600 paid out for a BMW in Washington DC. And €3.7million went on major maintenance of our residences overseas.
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish ambassador's rent sees €46,000 hike after latest London lease extension
The Department of Foreign Affairs was hit with a hike of more than €46,000 on the annual rent they pay for the Irish ambassador's residence in London. The department said it had little choice but to agree to the sharp increase even though it brought the cost of the property close to €10,000 per week. The new lease of €508,925 per annum — a rise of 10% — was signed off on because no better options were available, according to records released under the Freedom of Information Act. An internal submission said that the Irish ambassador to Britain had been living in the property in leafy Chester Square since September 2019. In late 2022, the department said it was interested in extending the lease. While the landlord was happy for the department to stay on, they said they wanted a 'substantial increase' in rent of over 11%. Department officials tried, 'actively but unsuccessfully,' to negotiate a much smaller increase in rent. The submission said: 'After several months, the landlord indicated that they would not accept any offer below £8,400 (€9,787) per week.' Suitable alternatives At the same time, the department had asked a property adviser to see if there were any other suitable properties in London. A report said the type of residence needed for the ambassador was only likely to come on the market half a dozen times each year. The property advisers examined eight properties in the area that had been let over a two-year period. They said only three of them had been leased for less than £7,000 (€8,156) per week, adding that the majority ranged from £8,000 to £12,000. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: 'Having given the matter careful consideration, and on the balance of market evidence available at the time, it was clear that a move would have no added benefit and would incur an additional cost to the Irish exchequer. 'The department decided to renew the lease for a three-year period to September 2026, with the option to break at relatively short notice should a more suitable alternative become available.'
The Journal
3 hours ago
- The Journal
Irish Ambassador's residence in London hit with €46,000 rent hike
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs got hit with a hike of more than €46,000 on the annual rent they pay for the Irish Ambassador's residence in London. The department said it had little choice but to agree to the sharp increase even though it brought the cost of the property close to €10,000 per week. The new lease of €508,925 per annum – a rise of 10% – was signed off on because no better options were available, according to records released under FOI. An internal submission said that the Irish Ambassador to the UK had been living in the property in leafy Chester Square since September 2019. In late 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs said they were interested in extending the lease. While the landlord was happy for them to stay on, they said they wanted a 'substantial increase' in rent of over 11%. Department officials tried, 'actively but unsuccessfully,' to negotiate a much smaller increase in rent. The submission said: 'After several months, the landlord indicated that they would not accept any offer below £8,400 (€9,787) per week.' At the same time, the department had asked a property adviser to see if there were any other suitable properties available in London. A report said the type of residence needed for the Ambassador was only likely to come on the market half a dozen times each year. Advertisement The submission said: 'The market had hardened in the wake of Covid, with landlords less inclined to offer inducements or rent reductions to attract tenants.' The property advisers examined eight properties in the area that had been let over a two-year period. They said only three of them had been leased for less than £7,000 (€8,156) per week and the majority ranged from £8,000 to £12,000. Eleven alternative properties were put forward, a number of which were 'slightly' cheaper than the existing residence. The submission said: 'It is very challenging to find an equally suitable property at a lower rent based on market evidence. 'A move would probably necessitate additional fire safety and security improvements, at a cost to the exchequer, in addition to the purchase or rental of furniture.' It said the best-case scenario was that such a move would be 'cost neutral' and at worst 'less suitable and more expensive.' The submission also said the department was looking to buy a residence outright but that this was not something that could be done quickly. 'Although purchasing a property might be financially viable in the longer term, it has not been possible to identify such a property in recent months,' the submission said. 'Purchasing a property is not currently a viable option.' Asked about the lease extension, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: 'Having given the matter careful consideration, and on the balance of market evidence available at the time, it was clear that a move would have no added benefit and would incur an additional cost to the Irish Exchequer. 'Accordingly, the Department decided to renew the lease for a three-year period to September 2026, with the option to break at relatively short notice should a more suitable alternative become available.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
