The Government generated a total of €2.73 billion from a mineral oil tax on petrol and diesel in 2025, €183 million more than in 2024.
The increase for motorists, businesses, and consumers has been described as “astonishing” by Carol Nolan TD.
The Offaly TD received the figures through a parliamentary question submitted to the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance.
She was seeking information on the increase in cents per litre on unleaded and diesel in each budget from 2008 to date in 2026; and the total revenue raised on excise duty on unleaded and diesel in each year from 2008 to date in 2026.
It reveals that in 2025 a total of €2.73 billion was generated from Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) on Petrol and Diesel.
“This is an astonishing increase for motorists, businesses, and consumers to bear during a prolonged cost-of-living crisis. The MOT burden has become absolutely punitive and it must be reconsidered and reduced immediately,” the TD said.
Both petrol and auto-diesel are subject to excise duty in the form of Mineral Oil Tax (MOT). Up to November 2008 different MOT rates applied to three categories of petrol – leaded, unleaded and super unleaded. Differentiated MOT rates also applied to two categories of auto-diesel based on sulphur content. From 1 November 2008, one MOT rate has applied to all types of petrol and one MOT rate has applied to all types of auto-diesel.
Carbon taxation on auto-fuels was introduced in December 2009 and since then MOT has included a carbon and a non-carbon component.
Responding to the TD, the Department said: “The MOT rate on petrol has been increased by just over 26.3 cents per litre in the period from the beginning of October 2008 until the present and the MOT rate on auto-diesel has increased by almost 24.8 cents per litre, in that period.
“Budget increases to MOT rates on auto-fuels are generally applied from Budget night. In line with the 2020 Programme For Government approach to carbon tax policy, legislation was introduced in Finance Act 2020 to provide for a long term trajectory of gradual annual increases in the carbon tax rate bringing the rate to €100 per tonne of carbon dioxide by 2030.
“These increases are legislated to impact on petrol and auto-diesel in October each year. Other changes to MOT rates on petrol and auto-diesel were also made in recent years; in March 2022, in response to the global energy crisis, the Government introduced temporary reductions in the rate of MOT applying to petrol and diesel.
“These temporary reductions were extended until August 2024 with a gradual restoration of rates taking place on dates between 1 June 2023 and 1 August 2024.”