Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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222. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason there is such disparity nationally in prices for a litre of petrol and diesel; if his attention has been drawn to the reason for same; his plans to address same with better regulation or an alternative solution; and if his Department has carried out an investigation into this price disparity. [1840/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Irish retail oil sector is an open and competitive market. As such, I have no role in the setting of fuel prices. The retail price of gasoline and diesel at the pumps is determined by a number of factors, including the price of crude oil and refined product on the international markets. Oil prices are subject to many factors, including market supply and demand levels and as oil is traded almost exclusively in US Dollars, the strength of that currency against the Euro.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC, under the aegis of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation) is responsible for ensuring that the market is functioning correctly and that consumers are not being unfairly disadvantaged.