A driver in Co. Kilkenny will be facing a fine following the discovery of marked gas oil (green diesel) in their vehicle.
The detection was discovered at a checkpoint established by An Garda Síochána and Customs and Excise today (Thursday, March 7).
The checkpoint was in the Galmoy area of Co. Kilkenny, where Customs, assisted by Gardaí from the roads policing unit encountered the driver of the vehicle.
A test was carried out upon the fuel in the person’s car, where it was found to be green diesel.
On social media, Gardaí noted: “It will take more than a rub of the green to avoid a hefty fine.”
According to Revenue, green diesel, also known as marked gas oil (MGO), is diesel on which mineral oil tax at a reduced rate has been paid on condition that it is used only for purposes that qualify for that reduced rate, such as agriculture.
It is chemically marked and dyed green to deter misuse for purposes to which a higher rate of tax applies.
It is illegal to use marked gas oil or marked kerosene in road vehicles, the authority notes.
Failure to comply, Revenue has stated, may result in a conviction for an offence under section 102(1) of Finance Act 1999, where a person is liable to a fine of €5,000 and/or the forfeiture of mineral oil, a conveyance, goods, mixing agents or accompanying equipment.
Excise clearances of green diesel for 2023 saw a decrease of 4.5% compared with 2022.
This is according to statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which detailed that excise clearances in December 2023 of marked gas oil were 21% lower than in December 2022.
Marked gas oil is primarily used for off-road purposes such as agriculture and the heating of larger buildings.
Excise clearances refer to amounts of oil on which duty has been paid that are removed from tax warehouses.
Clearance data provide a proxy for sales and the associated level of consumption, but do not necessarily reflect actual consumption.