ESSO Ireland, the biggest petrol distributor in the country, has reduced the price of petrol by 3.6p per gallon or 0.8p per litre across all grades of petrol. Diesel prices have been cut by 9.5p per gallon or 2.1p per litre. According to Esso, the price cuts which take effect from midnight tonight, are the result of lower international oil prices and the strength of the pound against the American dollar - the currency of the oil markets.