Sap Gets Fleeced at the Pumps

Driver shocked at €95 cost of filling tank

By Aideen Sheehan

Friday November 09 2007

FILLING up has just got an awful lot dearer with one petrol station in the capital now charging a staggering €179.9 a litre.

The Statoil filling station on Dublin's Usher Quay (pictured above) -- long notorious for its high prices -- has now increased them to this jaw-dropping new rate.

One driver, Helen Donaghy, was staggered to be charged €95 to fill her Peugeot Convertible there, even though it normally costs her a maximum of €55 elsewhere.

"I simply could not believe it.

"I did not see a sign from the road with the price, or it may have been very small, but they should not be allowed charge prices like this," she said.

Consumers Association of Ireland Chief Dermott Jewell last night slated the price hike. "Nobody in their right mind should use this petrol station," said Mr Jewell.

However, the bad news for drivers is that petrol prices are rising across the board and are expected to hit €1.18 on
average this month.

Maxol is the first to raise prices by 3c a litre this week.

Topaz Energy which supplies Texaco, Fareplay and Statoil garages is also set to raise prices.

- Aideen Sheehan

You have to love the Indo's style of sensationalism here. I'm familiar with the petrol station on Usher's Quay and now full-well that the price of the petrol is displayed prominently on the sign fronting the garage; and on the petrol pumps themselves.

19th/May/2008 - Update : Apparently this gaff has been closed!

Richard Delevan, Fired For Citing a Blog.

Newspaper journo, blogger and all-round nice guy, Richard Delevan was fired from his position in the Tribune today for discussing auctioneer Ken McDonald's inability to sell his house. The article is still online here.

In a previous interview, Richard was asked if he regrets anything that he writes, I bet he'll think long and hard about this one.

Fianna Fáil Making up the Budget Deficit.