Major increases in the price of coal could come as soon as next week.
That's according to Tommy Sheehan, of North Pole Fuels in Cavan, who says the price of a 40 kilogram bag of coal could increase by €4.50.
It comes amid a warning from the Tánaiste that the Ukrainian crisis means things here will be 'tough for a while'.
Households are already facing spiralling fuel bills, while there are concerns about possible food shortages, but Leo Varadkar says things will be okay in the end.
However, speaking on The Joe Finnegan Show, Tommy Sheehan said the Environment Minister, Eamon Ryan, needs to "wake up" to the issue: