Something to celebrate

The success of the store comes down to a strong team and loyal local customers. Staff play a central role in the store’s performance, consistently delivering great service and keeping standards high. The continued support from the community has also helped the business grow and adapt.

Graham Murphy, one of the owners, is managing director. Liam Murphy oversees daily operations across the group, with Padraig Doran supporting as development manager. On-site, store manager Mark Leacy leads the Raheen team and is closely involved in the day-to-day running of the business.

New Ross Bypass

“We purchased the store in 2011, having leased it for 12 months initially. We could see the potential in the site – even though the New Ross bypass was in motion. We knew it had a really strong offering, and was well established in the local community” explained Liam.

“The New Ross bypass was completed in 2020, and like many businesses along the old route, we were affected during its construction. Thanks to the efforts of our team and the continued support of our local customers, we were able to adapt and keep things moving. We even noticed that some regulars and daily commuters would actually re-route their journey to continue visiting the store. This gave us the confidence to keep investing in the site and plan for the future.”

Navigating new challenges

Just as recovery from the bypass disruption began, Covid hit in March 2020. “We adapted as best we could,” said Liam. “We made use of the space we had, creating indoor and outdoor areas for customers to safely visit and enjoy. With the Greenway still under construction nearby, we saw its potential and began planning ahead.”

An extension followed, adding key facilities including toilets, bike parking, outdoor seating, and the new Wild & Bean Barista Bar. The result was 5,000 square feet of outdoor and covered space beside both the store and the Greenway.

Opportunity knocks

“We saw this as an opportunity to develop the store further. It was clear there was strong demand from both the local community and Greenway users for a broader, fresher convenience offering – the kind of everyday items and services people now expect from a modern store. It showed us just how much more potential the site had.”

“Gala Retail has some fantastic brands and concepts and with our long, historic relationship with the Gala team, we were never going to consider any other brand.

“We believe Gala concepts such as Coffee Junction, Galato, Baker’s Corner, The Deli and Distill all developed by Gala, are best in class – not only through the design detail, but the product offering, quality and price point.”

A busy summer season

“Thanks to the recent spell of good weather, the store has enjoyed one of its busiest weeks to date. The summer footfall has been boosted by the growing number of Greenway visitors and locals stopping by, a sign that the store continues to hit the mark with shoppers.

“The addition of the Wild & Bean Barista Bar, developed under the management of Hilary Rowe, has helped turn the store into more than just a stop-off point – it’s become a go-to spot for people to meet up and our proximity to the Greenway is an added bonus.”

The store remains closely connected to the community, supporting a range of local charities and events, including the Pink Rock Run, as well as partnering with sports clubs, musical groups, and drama groups throughout the year.

Celebrating 25 years of Gala

“Celebrating 25 years of Gala Retail last year coincided with the completion of our store extension and refurb, a major milestone after years of navigating industry competition, economic challenges, changing customer needs and much more. It marked a period of progress and growth, as we continue to invest in the store’s future.

“Under the watchful eye of Mark Leacy, the store manager, we are planning to develop our forecourt this winter. This will be the next stage of our development and reflects our commitment to support our wider sustainability goals, including the installation of solar PV panels, EV charging points, and enhanced forecourt services. We’ve already taken steps such as retrofitting energy-saving appliances and improving our overall environmental performance.

“We’ve been involved with Gala since its formation. Like ourselves, it was formed by a number of family-run wholesale businesses. To this day, Gala still encompasses that sense of being part of a family – in that they listen, support, encourage and also allow us to make independent decisions in how we run and operate a first class offering.

“The Gala team give us a lot of support from both a central office administration perspective and their business development team on the road. They have given us excellent contacts in the trade to see us get to this exciting stage of planning for our future expansions.”

The post Profile: Gala Raheen – Going the Extra Mile appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Over the past two years, Fuels for Ireland has been pressing the case for something that I believe is long overdue: an expert group to review how taxation and other Government policies impact the retail price of fuels for transport and heating.

This isn’t just an abstract exercise. It’s about the future of your business, the viability of forecourts across the country, and the livelihoods of the people who work in them. It’s also about making sure that the State’s approach to the energy transition is fair, reasonable, and sustainable for everyone — not just for those who can afford to make big changes to their vehicles or heating systems right now.

A sector that already delivers

Every litre of fuel we sell makes a significant contribution to the State’s finances. Between excise duty, VAT, carbon tax, and statutory levies such as the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) levy and the Better Energy Levy under the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOS), our sector delivers an estimated €6 billion every year into the Exchequer.

We also provide employment for around 30,000 people, with jobs spread through every town, city and rural community in Ireland. And our forecourts are more than just fuel pumps — they are vital retail and service hubs, particularly in smaller towns and villages.

Transition without fiscal foresight?

We at FFI fully support the energy transition. Our members are investing heavily in renewable liquid fuels like HVO and bioethanol, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and preparing for future fuels.

But in almost every policy discussion I’ve seen, the focus has been on how taxes and levies can encourage or discourage certain technologies and behaviours. Far less attention has been paid to the flip side of that coin — the impact these measures have on the actual cost of energy, on who bears those costs, and on the long-term stability of State revenues.

This is not just a matter of economics. The reality is that those who are least able to afford a switch to new technology — from internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, or from oil-fired heating to heat pumps — are being left behind. Their bills are increased in the name of “encouraging” them to switch, but for many, those options are simply out of reach. In practice, they are paying more and more to subsidise wealthier households who can afford to cut their heating and transport costs through upgrades. Fuels for Ireland is calling for a coherent approach and a dedicated tax group for fuel pricing policies.

It’s not just about tax

When most people hear “fuel prices” and “Government policy” in the same sentence, they think of fuel duty or carbon tax. But there are other significant factors baked into the pump price:

• Renewable fuel obligations such as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and the forthcoming Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO).
• The EEOS/Better Energy Levy, which obligated parties recover through fuel prices.
• The NORA levy, currently set at 2cpl, which funds our national strategic fuel reserves and provides resources for the Climate Action Fund.

Each of these measures has a purpose, but they all come at a cost. That cost lands with motorists, home-heating oil customers, and — inevitably — with the businesses that serve them.

The North–South price gap

Nothing illustrates the need for a comprehensive review more clearly than the fuel price gap between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Right now, industry data shows that fuel in Northern Ireland is around 20 cents per litre cheaper than in the Republic. For an average 60-litre tank, that’s a saving of €12.

For home-heating oil, the gap can be €150 to €185 per 500 litres.

The reasons are complex: differences in excise, VAT, and levy structures; currency fluctuations; and — importantly — higher renewable fuel obligations in the Republic, meaning our petrol and diesel carry more compliance cost than theirs.

The consequences are straightforward and damaging to the ROI industry:

• Significant volumes of fuel sales — and the associated tax revenue — are leaking across the border.
• Forecourts in border counties are losing customers and, in some cases, closing altogether.
• And those who cross the border to fill up rarely stop at the forecourt — they often do the rest of their shopping there, taking advantage of generally lower retail prices. That’s more lost business for retailers here at home.

Three principles for a fair approach

The Expert Group we are calling for would be tasked with developing a coherent approach to fuel pricing policy, built on three core principles:

1. Revenue stability — ensuring the State has a fair, reliable, and predictable income from transport and heating fuels during and after the transition.
2. Support for the transition — designing fiscal policy that differentiates between fossil and renewable fuels, while staying technology-neutral in principle and incentive-aligned in practice.
3. Affordability and fairness — protecting essential users and those with no realistic alternative from being overburdened, and preventing a situation where the least well-off pay for the decarbonisation of the better-off.

Who should be at the table

We believe the Expert Group should bring together all the relevant expertise and perspectives, including:

• Department of Finance and Revenue Commissioners
• The climate and energy policy department (currently DECC/D/CEE) and Department of Transport
• SEAI, NORA, and the Parliamentary Budget Office
• ESRI/academic energy economists and CSO (for data)
• Consumer advocates, fuel-poverty experts, and regional/border economy representatives
• Industry — including Fuels for Ireland, forecourt retail, freight, and maritime fuels
• Environmental experts in lifecycle carbon accounting, renewable fuel sustainability, and climate policy integration

Why it matters to you — and what you can do

This is not just about high-level policy. It’s about your business and your community. If you operate a forecourt, every element of Government policy that influences fuel prices affects your competitiveness, your turnover, and your customers’ choices.

Without a comprehensive review, we risk letting these policies develop in silos, with no one looking at the combined effect. That’s bad for business, bad for consumers, and bad for the State’s revenue base.

The Budget in October is a critical moment. We want the Minister for Finance to announce the establishment of this Expert Group in Budget 2026. That won’t happen unless there’s political will behind it — and that’s where you come in.

I’m asking you to contact your local TDs and Senators before the Budget. Tell them you support the creation of an Expert Group on Fiscal Policy and Fuels. Tell them why it matters to your business, your employees, and your customers.

Together, we can make sure this issue is not overlooked, and that the decisions shaping our future are grounded in evidence, fairness, and common sense.

The post Why We Need an Expert Group on Fuel Pricing Policy — and Why You Should Back It appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Consumers are not only arriving to refuel, but they’re also going to a convenience store – predominately across Europe and the Middle East – to purchase lunch or coffee, collecting car wash tokens, scanning loyalty cards, etc. They are moving through the site with purpose. Today’s consumers are time poor and their need to complete more than one task at a time (e.g., refuelling and purchasing lunch on route to work, while also being able to pick-up a delivery from parcel lockers) is highly sought after. In today’s retail environment, this level of accessibility is no longer “nice to have”, it’s a necessity.

The most successful fuel retailers understand this behaviour. They don’t treat a customer visit as a one-time transaction, but as a series of consistently good experiences, delivered every time to capture true consumer loyalty.

Dover Fueling Solutions^® (“DFS”) helps retailers deliver those experiences through a connected suite of technologies, from advanced Wayne^® and Tokheim^® fuel dispenser technology to the DFS Order Kiosk powered by FLYX and Prizma, DFS’ connected mobility and convenience hub that links forecourt and store systems. Together, these tools help build operational consistency, streamline service, and create journeys worth repeating. Loyalty is more than collecting points.

First Impressions Start at the Dispenser

The dispenser – whether conventional fuel or clean energy – is often the first point of engagement between a consumer and the fuel retailer or fuel site. It sets the tone for the overall consumer experience. If the refuelling process is slow, unclear, inconsistent, or payment doesn’t work as expected, consumers notice, and they remember. If a dispenser is out-of-service, many consumers, particularly during rush hour or peak driving times, will leave to refuel elsewhere – approx. one in three consumers (32%) would walk away from a brand or company after one bad experience. But when the experience is seamless, responsive, and informative, it becomes part of a broader service standard that encourages return visits.

DFS’ latest dispenser portfolio in EMEA has been developed with both performance and communication in mind. Large-format displays, fast-response interfaces, and improved accessibility help ensure a smooth fuelling experience.

Site Control Without the Complexity

Managing a modern fuel site involves more than just fuel. Car washes, loyalty schemes, mobile payments, unmanned terminals, and point-of-sale (POS) systems can all add value, but also complexity. Prizma helps fuel retailers simplify this ecosystem.

By unifying control of multiple touchpoints into a single interface, Prizma enables retailers to streamline operations across single or multi-site setups. This is especially valuable in EMEA, where cross-border retail often involves managing language preferences, regional regulations, or differing fuel types.

With real-time analytics and remote diagnostics, retailers can address issues before they impact customer experience. Prizma also integrates with back-office systems and supports a wide range of payment methods, making it easier to deliver a smooth, joined-up journey from pump to c-store. This kind of operational consistency enables the seamless integration of fuel reward programs in EMEA, supporting personalised offers, loyalty apps, or card-based schemes. By removing friction across the site, Prizma makes on-site and remote control easy and enables retailer to optimise the customers experience, which helps maximise site profits.

This is incredibly important as 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, with those customers spending up to 140% more than those who experience negative interactions.

Reducing Queues and Improving Service Flow

Self-service technology is gaining traction across certain parts of EMEA, particularly at fuel sites with integrated convenience stores. In many European markets, consumers are familiar with self-checkout kiosks in retail and hospitality settings, making fuel site adoption more practical. Yet, it’s not consistent across the region, as some sites in Middle East and Africa (MEA) markets operate without a c-store, and full-service fuelling remains standard in many areas.

For forecourts where self-service is viable, the DFS Self-Checkout Kiosk helps reduce queues, shorten transaction times, and ease staffing pressure during busy periods. It makes the overall experience quicker, allowing consumers to continue their day with minimal interruption. In fact, 77% of consumers opt for self-checkout due to faster service.

When it comes to made-to-order food and beverage transactions, the DFS Order Kiosk improves flow and provides retailers with upselling opportunities without slowing down the front counter. Sites using the system have seen basket value increase by up to 26%. Not only does the DFS Order Kiosk benefit fuel retailers, it also improves the overall customer experience, helps to reduce queues and waiting times in the c-store. It’s a win-win!

These solutions help keep sites moving, which directly impacts the customer experience and in turn, loyalty. When wait times are shorter, transactions are smoother, and service feels efficient, consumers are more likely to return – 53% of consumers will go out of their way to visit a specific fuel site because they favour its c-store. Operational consistency isn’t just good for throughput, it’s what builds repeat business.

Delivering Consistency Across the Forecourt

Loyalty doesn’t come from a single promotion or an app download. It comes from consistency: a dispenser that works, payment that’s seamless, signage that makes sense, a self-checkout that doesn’t stall, an offer that arrives just when it’s relevant. These are all small touchpoints, but together they create a “standard” consumers notice and choose to return to.

DFS helps enable that standard across the entire fuel site. Whether it’s through Prizma’s centralised control, the flexibility of the DFS Self-Checkout, or the ease of the DFS Order Kiosk, every interaction is designed to strengthen the customer experience and support retail technology loyalty in EMEA.

Fuel retailers don’t need short-term incentives to build customer loyalty. Consistent service, connected systems, and seamless transactions are what drive long-term engagement, strengthening fuel customer loyalty.

The post How Fuel Retailers Can Build Long-Term Customer Loyalty appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Maxol hosted its 2024 winners’ lunch and Excellence Awards at The Merrion Hotel in Dublin on Wednesday, May 21, recognising seven of its standout service stations with a presentation and celebratory luncheon.

The annual Awards promote excellence in station and store standards, customer experience, and community engagement – and standards are stringently assessed every year before Maxol rewards both its company-owned and independent dealer-owned service stations.

Winners are selected following a combination of audits by regional managers and the team from head office, mystery shopper visits, and reviews of each store’s local community engagement, including fundraising activities for Maxol’s nominated charity, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

County Cork dominated the company-owned categories this year as Maxol Clonakilty received the coveted Store of the Year award and was recognised for Excellence in Customer Experience. Maxol Ballinrea was awarded for its Excellence in Community Engagement. Elsewhere, Maxol Riverside in Navan, County Meath was awarded for Excellence in Standards.

The independent dealer network winners were Garvey’s Newcastlewest in County Limerick for Store of the Year; McGonigle’s in Muff, Donegal for Excellence in Standards; Moloney’s, in Abbeyfeale, Limerick for Excellence in Customer Experience; and Eiver’s in Kilkenny for Excellence in Community Engagement.

Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group, said: “At Maxol, we pride ourselves at being at the heart of our communities and as Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt retailer, providing a best-in-class experience is of the utmost importance. The 2024 Excellence winners exemplify this and set the bar high when it comes to excellence in standards, customer experience and community engagement. On the behalf of everyone at Maxol, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all the award winners and their store teams, who work hard to ensure our customers have a great experience at Maxol service stations nationwide.

WINNERS

Company-owned winners:

Store of the Year – Maxol Clonakilty, Cork, operated by Licensee Shane Cantillon

Excellence in Standards – Maxol, Riverside, Navan, operated by Licensee Paul Sweeney

Excellence in Customer Experience – Maxol Clonakilty, Cork, operated by Licensee Shane Cantillon

Excellence in Community Engagement – Maxol Clonakilty, Cork, operated by Licensee Shane Cantillon

Independent Dealer winners:

Store of the Year – Garvey’s Newcastlewest, Limerick, operated by Jim Garvey

Excellence in Standards – McGonigle’s, Muff, Donegal, operated by Joe & Marie McGonigle

Excellence in Customer Experience – Moloney’s, Abbeyfeale, Limerick, operated by Dan Moloney

Excellence in Community Engagement – Eivers Kilkenny, operated by John Eivers

Clonakilty CX & Store of the year images –  CEO of The Maxol Group Brian Donaldson, Shane Cantillon (Licensee), Sean Walsh (Store Manager) and Barry Quigley – Head of Retail Operations Maxol

Ballinrea –  CEO of The Maxol Group Brian Donaldson, Shane Cantillon (Licensee), Eurika Reiponaite (Store Manager) and Barry Quigley – Head of Retail Operations Maxol

Moloneys Abbeyfeale –  CEO of The Maxol Group Brian Donaldson, Independent Dealers Dan Moloney, Billy O’Connor and David Martin Head of Business Development Maxol

Eivers Kilkenny –  CEO of The Maxol Group Brian Donaldson, Independent Dealer John Eivers, Store Manager Linda Maher and David Martin Head of Business Development Maxol

Garveys – CEO of The Maxol Group Brian Donaldson, Independent Dealer Jim Garvey and David Martin Head of Business Development Maxol

The post Maxol Spotlight on Outstanding Service Stations at Excellence Awards appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Q: Congratulations on your new role as Commercial Director at Certa Ireland, part of DCC plc. What does this new position involve?

“Thanks! I’m enjoying the new challenge. The new role is at the heart of driving the continued success of Certa as a leading energy brand in Ireland and a pioneering business in terms of energy transition for our customers” said Diarmuid.

“On the day-to-day, I’m busy working across the various departments in the business, collaborating with them to achieve the businesses objectives from a commercial perspective and endeavouring to grow our reach, footprint and impact on the energy landscape.

Q: What are your priorities as Commercial Director for Certa Ireland?

“My priorities are all based around the idea of building upon the great work that that has been done within Certa to date.

“One key objective as we continue our energy transition journey is supporting our expert teams in championing our renewable energy products. We have established ourselves as the leading supplier of HVO in Ireland to both businesses and consumers, giving our customers a viable low-carbon fuel alternative when it comes to fuelling their business fleets & machinery or indeed for fuelling their cars, and even heating their homes, through the launch of our HVO/kerosene blend heating fuel – EcoMax which we launched in 2024.

“Additionally, we are now a leading supplier of solar energy to Irish business & homes through our acquisition of Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI). Both of these products allow us give more power to our customers to choose greener energy solutions for their home and business.

“Next, with our ever-growing commercial team operating across various sectors – home heating, commercial fuels, solar energy, lubricants, retail, and more, I want to support all of our colleagues and teams to innovate and work together to develop and improve our offering to our customers. We have a culture of being bold & courageous, but also being One Team. We understand the importance of pulling in the same direction and I want to push that vision forward!”

Q: What key messages would you want to give IFCR readers regarding Certa Ireland?

“Only that we are a progressive business that has bold plans for the future! We want to make sure we give our customers the power to choose more sustainable solutions, and we will be continuing to deliver on this strategy in 2025 and beyond.”

Q: Will we see new forecourts in Ireland?

“Yes, absolutely. Our retail strategy is being actively led by Yvonne Hargroves, who heads up our retail team and brings extensive experience and energy to the role. Yvonne and her team are continually exploring new opportunities to grow the Emo dealer network across Ireland.

“Emo is a brand with deep roots in local communities, and we’re focused on partnering with dealers who share our values and commitment to quality. We’re always open to conversations with operators who are interested in joining the Emo family and benefiting from the strong support we provide. If you’re considering your options, we’d love to hear from you to discuss how Emo could support your business.”

Q: Are you overseeing the Emo Brand too as Commercial Director?

“Yes, I am—and it’s a key part of my remit as Commercial Director. The Emo retail business sits within the commercial team, which allows us to take a more integrated and strategic approach to supporting our dealers. With Yvonne leading the retail team, we’re combining deep sector expertise with a forward-thinking commercial strategy. This structure enables us to bring greater value to our Emo partners—whether through introducing renewable fuel options like HVO, supporting energy transition with solar solutions, or offering premium products like our Castrol lubricants.

“Our goal is to ensure dealers have the tools they need to future-proof their business and deliver best-in-class service to their customers. If you’re interested in learning more about what partnering with Emo looks like, we’d be delighted to start that conversation.

Q: The past few years have seen a flurry of great commercial developments for Certa Ireland, as part of DCC plc. The company structure can be a little confusing – could you give readers a whistlestop tour of the company structure?

“Absolutely! It’s not as complex as you might think.

“Certa is the coming together of multiple fuel and oil brands that were all under the DCC plc banner, and we wanted to give customers a more simple process of dealing with us. We merged all these businesses into Certa in 2022, however we maintained the Emo brand for our retail network as these were integral parts of local communities across Ireland. In 2023 we acquired Alternative Energy Ireland and that business operates under that name for the same reasons – it is one of Irelands longest serving solar brands and is well respected in the industry.

“Most of our business operations are through the Certa brand, but we still operate both the Emo and AEI names for their respective industries.”

Q: Horizon scanning – what’s coming up for Certa – anything new and exciting you can tell us about?

“We’ve got plenty of exciting news on the horizon. I can’t reveal all but we’ll certainly be continuing to grow the renewables side of our business and we’ll be continuing to grow our nationwide team who are the backbone of our expanding business.

Q: Tell me about your career to date?

“I’m originally from Dublin, living in Cork now for over a decade.  I have spent time in Galway and New Jersey earlier in my career. I studied Hotel Management in Galway RTC followed by a Masters in Marketing in the UCD Smurfit School of Business.

“Following my studies I began my career in media sales.  I enjoyed some challenging senior commercial roles in UTV, The Star Newspaper, Today FM and more recently as CEO of Cork’s RedFM for over 10 years.

Q: What business ethos inspires you – how does this carry through to your day-to-day work?

“One of Certa’s core values is One Team.  I’m a big advocate for collaboration with colleagues, customers and all stakeholders to ensure we arrive at the best possible solutions in all situations.  One of the key inspirations for me is working with motivated and talented people, we have an abundance of such people here in Certa.”

Q:Tell me a bit about Diarmuid O’Leary the person – any interests/hobbies etc you’d like to share.

“I’m married to Elaine Shields and we have three daughters Cara, Erica and Kate. It’s a busy house with many commitments almost every night of the week.  Outside of work, I’m a big sports enthusiast – I enjoy following all Irish rugby teams and coaching with the under 10’s girls team in Nemo Rangers, Cork.  I’m also a keen cyclist.  I find getting out on the bike is a great way to clear the head and stay active. I also love to cook at home and, whenever possible, enjoy eating out with family.

Q: Closing comments – is there anything you’d like included in the interview not covered above. You will of course get to see the editorial and page layouts for sign-off before the magazine goes out.

“This a very exciting time to be involved in the energy industry in Ireland and around the world.  There are many opportunities to explore and Certa continue to work hard to ensure we are the forefront of this innovative sector.”

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