Farmers and contractors should be aware that the carbon tax on green diesel is set to increase by a further €7.50/t, from €56/t to €63.50/t, from 1 May 2025.

The price hike on green diesel or marked gas oil (MGO) as it’s more formally referred to is estimated by suppliers to add 2.3c/l plus VAT to the price of the fuel.

This increase in carbon tax is part of the 2020 Programme for Government, in which the Irish Government committed to increase the basis of carbon tax rates from €26 to €100 per tonne of carbon dioxide by 2030.

The Finance Act 2020 legislated for the annual increases to the carbon tax of €7.50/t - up until 2029 and €6.50/t in 2030, when the rate will reach €100 per tonne of carbon dioxide.

As many of our readers are aware, these increases impact on the main propellant fuels such as road diesel and petrol every October and on all other fuels such as green diesel and kerosene on 1 May the following year.