It's feared an increase in fuel excise duty could force a number of smaller petrol stations along the border to close.

The UK Government announced last week that it will extend its reduced fuel excise duty rate for another year.

From April 1 petrol here will rise by 4 cent a litre and diesel will go up by 3 cent, meaning fuel prices in the North will eventually be around 10% cheaper than the south.

Sinn Féin’s Transport spokesperson, Sligo-Leitrim TD Martin Kenny, says an increase in petrol and diesel prices here will be damaging for smaller businesses…