HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE country are facing sharply higher heating costs just as temperatures plunge, with the price of a full tank of heating oil rising by around €80 in the past month.

According to price-tracking site Oilprices.ie, the average cost of 1,000 litres of heating oil has jumped from €905 on 22 October to €982.88 as of this week.

Many suppliers are now quoting close to €1,000 per fill, with average Dublin prices for 1,000 litres at €984.72 and counties in Munster approaching €1,000 flat.

In contrast, the same quantity costs between €643 and €674 in Northern Ireland, creating a price gap of roughly €300 for households living only a few kilometres apart.

Around one million homes in Ireland rely on oil for heating, mostly in rural areas and among older homeowners, and distributors say demand spiked last week as the first real cold snap of winter set in.

The rise comes as households are already dealing with recent electricity price hikes from several major energy providers, and after the government confirmed there will be no energy credits this winter, unlike the €250 payment issued last year.

‘Danger of winter hardship’

Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said the increase will push many households into severe difficulty.

“[Oil heating] is the only option for many people particularly in rural Ireland,” Doherty said.

“Reckless government policy has made oil unaffordable without giving people any alternative,” he added.

People are facing real hardship this winter unless the government comes to its senses. 

Doherty criticised the impact of carbon taxes (currently accounting for around €220 of a 1,000-litre fill) and said planned future increases would add another €150.

“This is a betrayal of many rural voters and independent voters,” Doherty said. 

He called for all further carbon tax rises to be scrapped and for the government to reinstate €450 worth of energy credits “to support every household”.

Price increase reasons

Kevin McPartland, CEO of industry group Fuels for Ireland, said a combination of global factors and Ireland’s tax regime is driving the surge.

“There’s global geopolitical strife affecting prices, and demand has jumped because this is the first real cold spell,” he said.

“But the biggest issue now is the price differential north and south of the border.”

McPartland described the price difference as “intolerable”.

“Someone in the Republic is paying around €410 to €420 in tax on a fill, compared to less than €100 across the border. It’s very clear where the difference lies,” McPartland said.