asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state what was the petrol allowance made to the Great Southern Railways Ford truck ZC2198 for the month of July, 1942; and if he is aware that this truck was operating daily during that period at an estimated average daily petrol consumption of 10 gallons; and if he can reconcile this with the petrol allowance made to licensed hauliers and private lorry owners during the same period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol for G.S.R. Truck.
Bulk allowances of petrol are granted monthly to the Great Southern Railways for use in the fleet of commercial goods vehicles operated by them in carrying out their statutory duties as a public transport company. Allowances are not issued by my Department in respect of individual vehicles operated by the company; but in any case the mere statement of the quantity used in any month in a particular vehicle owned by the company would be of no value unless accompanied by precise information as to the circumstances in which the vehicle was used and the legal obligations of the company in relation to the service on which it was employed.
The bulk allowance of petrol made available by my Department in respect of commercial goods vehicles employed by the Great Southern Railways in their normal transport services in July, 1942, represented an average of 66.5 gallons per vehicle for that month, while the normal allowance granted to a licensed haulier for a vehicle similar to that referred to in the Deputy's question was 76 gallons per month. Having regard to the variety of purposes for which private lorries are used and the varying rates of petrol granted at the time to such lorry owners, no similar comparison is possible in the case of private lorries.
Would the Minister say how he arrives at the figure of 76 gallons per month for the private hauliers?
That was the allowance given them in last July.
Seventy-six gallons?
Seventy-six gallons.
To everyone?
Everyone operating a vehicle of the type referred to in the question.