Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on a statement from an association (details supplied) that petrol and diesel prices are up approximately 10% since January 2010 and that this rise is mainly due to taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23032/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In early January 2010 petrol was on average around 122.9 cent per litre and auto-diesel 114.9 cent per litre. Currently they are around 133.9 and 124.9 cent per litre respectively. The carbon tax, inclusive of VAT, amounted to around 4.2 cent in the case of petrol and 4.9 cent on auto-diesel. However it should be noted that the carbon tax applied to such fuels released from warehouse after Budget night 9 December 2009, and furthermore the standard rate of VAT was reduced from 21.5% to 21% with effect from 1 January 2010. Consequently, while tax may have contributed somewhat to the increase in fuel prices, the main contributing factors to the increase in fuel prices since early January 2010 arise outside of taxation.