Fuel excise duty cuts set to be extended until February

Proposals for extending fuel excise duty cuts until February have been submitted to Cabinet. The decision comes after the government paused planned excise increases in September and October due to rising fuel prices. Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris plans to seek approval for the extension, which will provide household certainty amid global energy market volatility. The reduction in the NORA levy will also continue until October.

The diesel rebate scheme for transport operators will remain in effect until the end of the year. The extension aims to prevent petrol prices from rising by 9 cents per litre and diesel by 10 cents, bringing them to over €2 per litre, a level that sparked protests last April. Once approved by Cabinet, the resolution will be presented to the early-recalled Dáil, which will meet for over an hour tomorrow to discuss the phased reduction of excise cuts from November to February.

Tánaiste believes this approach balances consumer support and responsible public finance management. Opposition parties, including Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, and Labour, are expected to support the proposal but urge the government to introduce long-term measures to lower energy costs.