‘Absolutely outrageous’: Fuel pump staff threatened after price-fixing claims

Fuel pump staff faced abuse and threats from the public after politicians claimed they were price gouging or price fixing, an industry body has said.

On March 10th, the Government reduced the excise duty for diesel and petrol following record level prices, largely as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

When pump prices did not immediately decrease by the corresponding reduction in excise, several politicians accused forecourts of hiking prices to maximise profit.

Kevin McPartlan, chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, said the abuse received by members was "unjustified".

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"People were going into forecourts and abusing and sometimes even threatening the staff on our forecourts. It was absolutely outrageous," he told RTÉ Radio One's Saturday with Katie Hannon.

Mr McPartlan said the situation could have been avoided if Cabinet members had not said the price change would be visible “from midnight”.

“Every drop of fuel that was on a forecourt at midnight had already had the excise paid at the higher rate. In our industry, margins are really small,” he added.

There was a supply issue in recent weeks, Mr McPartlan said, which resulted in purchasing limits.

"There was a time in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine where there was only one day's diesel supply held in commercial stock held in the terminals of Dublin Port, " he added.

“We were having to manage stock very carefully. We were trying to make sure we could meet everybody’s needs.”

Mr McPartlan said that while nobody wants to support Putin’s regime and the oppression of Ukrainian people, there would be a huge impact if there was an outright ban on Russian fuel.

“Within days we would have European supermarket shelves being empty, we would have ambulances unable to reach patients,” he added.

On the potential to reduce VAT on fuels, Mr McPartlan said agreement on this was still “a number of weeks away” from being achieved.

Taoiseach Michael Martin on Friday attended the EU leaders’ summit which covered, among other things, the inflated cost of fuel and cost of living.

Ireland was given a special derogation which allows it to operate at a lower rate of VAT at 13.5 per cent. However, a temporary reduction in VAT in response to recent inflation, would see the State revert to the standard rate of 23 per cent.

The Taoiseach has been in talks with his EU counterparts about easing this rule, so Ireland could return to the special rate if further cuts were required.

Mr McPartlan said a “very long time” had passed waiting for a decision on the VAT reduction, but that it “will be helpful if it comes to pass”.