A still from a video, which has been widely shared on the social media, of the shocking incident
Search
23 Mar 2026
Search
23 Mar 2026
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
For more pictures of Portlaoise fuel prices as of Monday afternoon, click NEXT or ARROW. More on the story below images.
-1774270815452.jpg)
Pictured: Circle K on the Abbeyleix road, town centre
With Iran's blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route internationally, Laois locals have felt the impacts of rising fuel costs.
The price of home heating has rocketed, along with the costs of petrol, diesel and kerosene in the county.
The Government is expected to announce a tax rebate scheme for hauliers, a double fuel allowance payment for pensioners and those on social welfare, and are expected to cut excise duty for a period to reduce fuel prices.
The measures are expected to be announced on Tuesday, yet their effects will take a some time to trickle down to Laois fuel pumps.
Sources within the Government have allegedly said that they cannot truly shield the Irish public from the full impact of the war, but the package due to be announced will help consumers at the petrol pumps.
Independent TD Brian Stanley recently pointed out that the Government is making more money as fuel prices shoot up for motoring, home heating, transport and farming.
“While Government don’t control international oil prices, they do control the level of taxation on every gallon of fuel," he said.
“For every €100 spent on oil, petrol or diesel €65 goes to the Government coffers. The irony is that the more prices increase, the greater is the amount collected in VAT on fuel, as this is levied on a percentage basis."
Households in the midlands and in County Laois are exposed because of the high number that depend on home heating oil in rural areas and in areas where there is no natural gas. A large number of homes also have a low energy rating. People in County Laois have long commutes as well.
He spoke on the same week that Laois haulier and president of the Irish Road Haulage Association Ger Hyland said their truck protest is called off after the Government promised a rapid range of measures to help the industry in the face of the soaring diesel costs. Mr Hyland from Rosenallis business Hyland Transport described how farmers are also hit by the costs.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
