The price of petrol and diesel is set to rise again from midnight tonight.
Excise taxes levied by the government, which were reduced as a result of the cost-of-living problem, will be gradually restored.
Petrol prices will rise by six cent per litre, while diesel will go up by five cent. Agricultural diesel will also go up a cent.
The Consumers Association of Ireland said the move will have both a direct and knock-on effect on consumers, making transport and goods more expensive.
“If this fuel is being used for carrying product to the supermarket, then the only one who can pay for it is the consumer,” the group’s chairperson Michael Kilcoyne said.
“And the consumer is going to have their goods increase (in price) so whoever is transporting it can cover the costs. It means there will be further inflation as a result of this,” he told Newstalk radio.
Mr Kilcoyne added it is poor practice to increase costs for consumers “at a time when Government talks about the amount of revenue they have”.
“I would call on [the Government] to defer this to at least the end of the year.
“Six cents on a litre of petrol, five cents on a litre of diesel is a lot of money, because in country areas there is no public transport, they have to have a car,” he added.
As fuel costs continued to rise in March of last year, the government took action and reduced the excise charge on fuel.
Petrol prices were reduced by 21 cents per litre, and diesel prices were decreased by 16 cents.