asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that numbers of owners of motor vehicles who have registered for voluntary emergency service will, through lack of petrol, be compelled to lay up their cars indefinitely; that in doing so they will have practically to dismantle the cars; and that, as a consequence, there will be scarcely any private cars available for practice or manoeuvres, or in a state of emergency, thus depriving these services of almost their entire transport, and if he proposes to take any action in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emergency Transport Services.
I am not aware what voluntary emergency services the Deputy has in mind. I have already made special arrangements with the authorities responsible to provide sufficient petrol so that emergency services will not be interfered with.
Perhaps the Minister might indicate what would constitute an emergency service. Would he consider the case of cars on which tax has not been paid but in respect of which I think an indication was given that permission to use them would be granted for an emergency service? Is there any indication to these people as to what would constitute an emergency service? I will give the Minister a case I have in mind. A bomb drops in Terenure. There is no state of war. There might conceivably be an emergency service there. If a bomb dropped out in Inchicore, would there be an emergency for the man in Terenure? Can we have any indication as to what an emergency service means for the man who has not paid tax or insurance on his car?
My difficulty in answering Deputy Doyle's question was my inability to understand what type of emergency service he had in mind. If the Deputy is thinking of ambulances, fire brigades and vehicles used for services of that kind, arrangements have been made to ensure that their petrol supplies will be provided. Arrangements have also been made in various parts of the country to ensure that certain stocks of petrol will be available for use in cars placed at the disposal of other Government services. I do not know if the Deputy thinks we might give petrol to private car owners so that they could use their cars in such emergencies.
The question I raised was different. In the case of people who have not paid the tax, because of lack of petrol, I understand these cars can be used in an emergency, but is there any indication of what an emergency is?
Is the Deputy inquiring now in what circumstances cars could be used without having paid the tax?
Yes.
I am afraid that is a matter for the Department of Local Government.
The cars I was referring to are privately owned. The Minister will appreciate the fact that all the organisations, A.R.P. and the Red Cross, have taken an inventory and received promises from owners of private cars, and they volunteered to send these cars for use in an emergency. He will recollect that an emergency took place at Donore Avenue at the time of the bombing there. There was a great turn-out of these people that morning and their motors were requisitioned. If a similar emergency occurred now is there any possibility that private owners might make use of their cars?
The arrangements to which I referred in the reply have been made with the A.R.P. authorities by the Department of Local Government but not with private car owners.
No arrangements have been made with the A.R.P. authorities?
Yes.
Has an arrangement been made to ensure to owners any supply of petrol that may be needed?