Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

Of course I understand the difficulty many people have in coping with the high costs. The reality is that most of these increases have come as a result of changing oil prices on the international market, exchange rates as well as production and refining costs. Compared with our closest neighbour, the UK, the excise rate on petrol and diesel is at a relatively low level. Our rates on petrol are nearly 20% lower and our rates on diesel are 35% lower than they are in the UK.

See this speech in context