asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the amount of petrol per lorry allowed to (a) the Great Northern Railway Company, (b) the Great Southern Railways Company, and the total amount of petrol so allowed to each company; and whether, in view of the great inconvenience and unemployment caused to private lorry owners owing to inadequate petrol supplies, he will state whether the railway companies receive more petrol than private concerns; and, if so, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol for Railway Lorries.
Bulk allowances of petrol are available each month for the Great Northern Railway and the Great Southern Railways Companies for use in their fleets of commercial goods vehicles operated by them in carrying out their statutory duties as public transport companies. Allowances are not issued by my Department in respect of individual vehicles operated by either company.
The total allowance of petrol granted during April to each company in respect of its fleet of commercial goods vehicles was: Great Southern Railways, 46,000 gallons for normal transport purposes; Great Northern Railway Company, 9,800 gallons for normal transport purposes.
The aggregate allowances granted during March and April to private lorry owners in respect of the use of commercial goods vehicles were greatly in excess of the total allowances granted to the railway companies for the use of such vehicles during these months.