asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of the increasingly important rôle played by oil and petrol in our industrial economy, his Department has given any consideration to (a) the establishment of an oil refinery, or (b) the purchase of oil tankers so that oil imports could be imported in Irish-owned ships.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil and Petrol.
Proposals for the establishment of an oil refinery have been made to my Department, but so far no substantial progress has been made. The question whether steps should be taken to acquire oil tankers has been receiving my attention. There are still many aspects of the matter which must be fully considered before a conclusion can be reached.