A NUMBER OF utility price rises are set to kick in this month, with consumers set to face additional costs for gas and electricity. 

Electric Ireland previously announced that its charges are set to rise by over 20%, with that increase beginning from 1 May. 

Residential Electric Ireland electricity prices are set to rise by 23.4%, which will equate to an additional €297.58 per year onto the average cost of electricity. 

Gas prices from the provider are also set to rise by 24.8%, equating to an additional €220.25 per year to the average cost of gas.

Similar price increases from SSE Airtricity also kick in from roday, with electricity bills rising by 24% and gas prices increasing by 32.3%. 

The electricity increase equates to a jump of €338 per year with the gas rise up by an average of  €332 a year. 

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The increases come as Eurostat records an overall increase of consumer prices in Ireland by 6.9% on the year, with utility costs the single biggest factor in that rise. 

The contentious increase in Carbon Tax also begins from today as part of the legislated gradual increase of the charge. 

The Programme for Government provides for a ten-year trajectory for Carbon Tax increases to reach €100 per tonne or carbon dioxide by 2030. Carbon tax is a charge applied to highly carbon-emitting fuels such as coal, peat, oil and natural gas. 

From today, it is set to increase next month from €33.50 to €41.00 per tonne.

It is estimated that it will add about €20 to the cost of filling a tank of home heating oil and €1.50 a month on gas bills.