Diesel above €2 per litre could become the “new norm”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned on 8 September. Cillian Sherlock and Cate McCurry reported for Dublin Live that he was drawing on advice from the Government’s energy expert group, amid continuing uncertainty in the Middle East.

For drivers deciding where to fill up, that warning raises an immediate problem. Comparing stations only works if you can find out what they are charging. In the Republic of Ireland, that information still depends heavily on someone passing a price board and sharing what they see.

Why a price on FuelWatch can be out of date

The Government does not require petrol stations in the Republic to report price changes to a public database. Retailers must display petrol and diesel prices where passing drivers can see them, as the CCPC’s guidance explains. A roadside sign does not send an update to an app.

FuelWatch therefore relies on community reports. When a driver submits a price, the map can show it to other people. If the station changes that price before another report arrives, the previous figure can remain visible.

That is why you should check when a price was reported. A report from this morning and one from last week are different kinds of evidence, even if their numbers match. Reports can also contain mistakes. We need clear timestamps and checks alongside more recent data.

For example, if two stations charge 10 cent per litre apart, the difference on a 50-litre fill is €5. You still have to weigh any saving against the distance and fuel needed to reach another forecourt. An old price makes that decision harder, especially if you discover the change only after arriving.

The UK now requires the updates

The UK launched Fuel Finder on 2 February 2026. Stations must submit price changes within 30 minutes, making the information available for comparison services. Northern Ireland is included. The absence of an equivalent duty described here concerns the Republic, while FuelWatch’s own pump prices remain community-reported.

In its 18 August monitoring update, the Competition and Markets Authority said approximately 97% of UK petrol stations had registered. Registration alone cannot establish that every displayed price is correct; compliance and data quality still need checking.

The UK Government has estimated average annual savings of £40 per household with a car. This is a forecast, not a measured saving already delivered to every household. The benefit depends on drivers finding cheaper options they can reasonably use.

There are longer-running examples too. France requires qualifying stations to report to its price service. In Germany, stations report changes for covered fuels within five minutes. Apps can build on those reporting duties rather than waiting for volunteers to notice each change.

What Ireland should require

Ireland should require stations to submit petrol and diesel price changes within a short, defined deadline. An open public feed should include the station, fuel, price and update time, with equal access for comparison services. An accountable operator should check submissions, investigate missing updates and enforce the duty.

There is already a political proposal: TD Shay Brennan called for a mandatory national PumpWatch scheme in March. The next step is a reporting requirement that retailers must follow.

Public data would not control oil markets or guarantee a cheaper fill. It would give drivers a better chance of comparing current local prices before committing to a journey. FuelWatch could use the same source as other services, with report times still visible.

Until that exists, community contributions keep the map useful. Check the report date before travelling, confirm the price at the forecourt, and share an update when you fill up. Read FuelWatch’s proposal for mandatory reporting and ask your TD to support a public price feed.