The National Consumer Agency says it has started examining the situation regarding petrol and diesel prices here.
It comes as new figures reveal Irish drivers are paying up to 20% more for fuel than other EU citizens.
Figures from the EU Commission's Directorate General on Energy show that before tax, petrol is 11% more expensive in Ireland than the EU average. Diesel is 20% more expensive, and home heating oil is 13% dearer.
The National Consumer Agency says it is in the middle of a survey and hopes to report to the Tanaiste on the issue before Christmas.
Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency, noted that some of the price discrepency may be due to poor data.
'Our work to date suggests that price data, on an aggregated basis, is being supplied to Irish authorities on a monthly basis while the EU is publishing weekly tracked prices,' Ms Fitzgerald said.
'This means that the data the EU is receiving from the Irish authorities is hopelessly inadequate and out of date with the result that weekly tracking of Irish prices versus those in other EU countries is impossible.
The NCA says it is necessary to do weekly surveys of pump prices throughout the country to get a clear picture of prices being charged to consumers.
The NCA is carrying out those surveys and will continue to track prices over the coming weeks.
'With the global price of oil fluctuating, we want to ascertain whether oil companies are quickly passing on savings on oil prices internationally and if petrol and diesel pump operators are subsequently passing those savings on to consumers,' Ms Fitzgerald said.
