Minister O'Brien commences order to bring NORA levy reduction into effect
- Published on: 1 April 2026
- Last updated on: 2 April 2026
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien has signed a commencement order that has brought a reduction in the NORA levy into effect. From today, the levy on petroleum products will be reduced from 2c per litre to a nominal level of €0.001 (one tenth of a cent). The reduction will be in effect until 1 June 2026. The reduction is part of the broader suite of time-bound and targeted measures introduced last week – to support households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy. The measures provide for temporary reductions in the rates of Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) applying to petrol, auto diesel and Marked Gas Oil (MGO) until 31 May 2026. The combined measures will mean a reduction of 22 cent in the cost of a litre of diesel and 17 cent off a litre of petrol. The government has also increased the maximum repayment allowable under the Diesel Rebate Scheme from 7.5 cent to 12 cent per litre of diesel. This will apply to diesel purchased from 1 January 2026 until 30 June 2026.
Minister O'Brien said:
"I am acutely aware of the pressures facing consumers and my department has acted without delay to enact this legislation to give effect to the NORA levy reduction. This is part of the broader measures that I, and government colleagues, announced last week. These measures are designed to support households and businesses in a targeted and time-bound manner. The department and I will continue to monitor and the review the situation and we will remain flexible in our response. I will continue to engage with our EU and international partners. Yesterday I met [online] with Energy Ministers from across the EU – to continue to coordinate an EU-wide approach to ongoing developments. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East demonstrates that we must reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels , accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, and invest in our electricity grid and in energy efficiency."
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Temporary and targeted government measures will reduce fuel prices for households and businesses, with additional supports for key sectors of the Irish economy.
These measures provide for temporary reductions in the rates of Mineral Oil Tax (MOT) applying to petrol, auto diesel and Marked Gas Oil (MGO), taking effect from midnight tonight until 31 May 2026.
The rate of MOT will be reduced on a VAT inclusive basis by:
- 15 cent per litre for petrol
- 20 cent per litre for auto diesel and
- 3 cent per litre for MGO.
To provide targeted relief to haulage and bus passenger operators, the government will increase the maximum repayment allowable under the Diesel Rebate Scheme, from 7.5 cent up to 12 cent per litre of diesel. This will apply to diesel purchased from 1 January 2026 until 30 June 2026.
To further ease the financial impact of energy price inflation, the government has reduced the NORA levy from 2 cent per litre to a nominal amount for a period of 2 months.
In order to further support households, the fuel allowance season will be extended by an additional four weeks. This means that the 470,000 households in receipt of the fuel allowance will receive additional financial support of €38 per week, totalling €152.
These measures will be in place for a defined period of time and government reserves the option to adjust its approach as circumstances evolve.
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce was established last June to identify and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. It is chaired by the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien. The first report of the taskforce, published last November, helped to inform key aspects of Budget 2026.