Cllr Thomas Welby is urging the public to start a campaign asking the main importers, and distributors, of fuel in Ireland to immediately reduce the price that they are charging to the forecourts so as to alleviate the suffering for motorists.
Cllr Welby has already contacted the main companies involved, namely Irving Oil, LSS, Inver Energy, Circle K and Valero (Texaco ) and is awaiting a response.
Cllr Welby is asking the companies to make this gesture in the national interest and to show a level of corporate responsibility to the people of Ireland at this time of immense stress and concern.
"The current fuel locked up in storage is probably the dearest fuel that we will have as it was purchased at a time when international barrel prices were at approximately $117, whereas today international prices are approximately $98 a barrel," he added.
"If new deliveries start coming into the country there would automatically be a prices reduction as the international price is now approximately 20 per cent less."
Cllr Welby has also written to the Taoiseach to request that the Government apply another cut to fuel to excise duty to match, or exceed, any industry cut.
"If the Government and suppliers both reduce prices and we 'wash' the dearest fuel out of the system then there will be a clear saving to people," he added.
"If we wait too long and international prices rise again we will be punished as a society."
