Owners of diesel operated vehicles could very well be hit by rising fuel prices in the near future if the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) have their way.
The research unit which monitors the vast of majority of items within the Irish economy, say the calls to bring the price of diesel on par with petrol is justified given their recent findings.
In the report which was submitted to the Department of Transport for review, the ESRI say the current price gap could be legally eleminated if the Government wishes to do so as a tax increase in diesel would be more than justifiable on fisacl and environmental grounds.
The ESRI say the tax increase would be deemed acceptable given that the number of diesel cars on Irish roads have played an active role in pollution even though diesel powered vehicles produce less carbon dioxide emissions than their petrol equivalents.
In the report which will be welcomed by environmentalists across the country, the ESRI also claim that the state could easily make more than half a billion euro if they decided to increase diesel emissions tax rate.
The report also stated that such a move would play a key role in reducing Ireland’s emissions as 2.4% carbon emissions would be eliminated each year.
Such a move would also see diesel costs rising by 22% per litre.