The country’s largest fuel retailer, Topaz made pre-tax profits of €2.3m for the year to March, reversing a near €5m loss in the prior year.

The company, which is now wholly-owned by Denis O’Brien (who is also the largest shareholder in this station) saw its overall turnover decline modestly to €2.8bn, principally due to lower wholesale fuel prices

Its accounts signal exceptional costs of about €18m last year, attributable to a significant restructuring of the company and its significant legacy debt burden.

Topaz is in the process of acquiring Esso’s operations in Ireland, including close to 40 branded forecourts and a fuel distribution business.

The €70m acquisition would bring Topaz’s market share here to about 30%.

The proposed deal is still under review by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

A statement from the company says that it has benefited from "substantial investment which has been made over the past 12 months."