Fuel prices start to fall but some stations lagging

Prices at the pumps have started dropping, after new fresh relief measures came into effect at midnight.

Motorists in Cavan and Monaghan are reporting that the price of petrol and diesel has fallen to around €1.79 and €1.99 respectively on some forecourts; while others say they will have to wait on new deliveries for the new rates to apply.

It comes as fuel supplies to forecourts continue to recover following protests and blockades of two fuel terminals and the country's only oil refinery last week.

Under the latest excise cut measures, taxes on a litre of both diesel and petrol have been reduced by 10 cent until the end of July.

Fuels for Ireland said that in recent days the industry has been operating under "disrupted conditions" and as a result of this "some of the fuel arriving at sites in the immediate aftermath of the change will still have left facilities at the old excise rate".

It's estimated around 300 filling stations across the country are still without fuel - though this region has not been impacted in any significant way.

The latest measures follow a first round of excise cuts on fuel last month.

The total tax reduction on diesel since March is 32 cent a litre, while the overall reduction on petrol over the same period comes to 27 cent a litre.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and subsequent disruption to oil supplies is driving the fuel price inflation.