Petrol prices have gone up for the third month running.

According to AA Ireland’s latest fuel price analysis, the average price of petrol in Ireland has increased by almost 4c in the past month. The national average cost of a litre of petrol currently sits at 146.1c, compared to 142.3c last month. The price of diesel has fallen slightly, by 0.2c in the same space of time. The AA has recommended that drivers frequent different petrol stations in an attempt to beat the increasing prices. "Unfortunately, at the moment we are seeing significant fluctuations in the cost of crude oil and that’s having a direct effect on what motorists are paying at the pump. A combination of recent OPEC supply cuts along with ongoing political unrest in several oil producing countries means that the gap between the available supply and the global demand for oil has tightened," Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs stated. "However, motorists can do their own pockets a favour if they get into the habit of shopping around. Due to the current turbulence in relation to crude oil costs, different garages will be selling both fuels at different rates, depending on the cost of a barrel of oil when they bought their current supply.”  "The important thing for motorists to remember when it comes to fuel is that you need to shop around in the same way that you do when renewing your insurance. Don’t fall into the habit of going to the same garage every time, but instead take note of which garage is offering the best deal in your area each time you need to fill up."