asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will consider introducing legislation to compel oil companies to mark on their pumps the octane rating of each grade of petrol.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Octane Rating of Petrol.
21.
I am advised that the octane rating of the petrol is only one of a number of factors which require to be taken into account in determining the grade of petrol best suited to any particular car. For that reason, a statutory requirement of the kind referred to in the question might not substantially advance the interest of petrol consumers generally.
Is the Minister aware that petrol companies are advertising cheaper petrol, offering 6d a gallon off? I should like to ask the Minister: off what exactly are they offering it?
The question referred to the octane rating of the grade of petrol rather than to what they take the money off.
The octane is a very important feature of the grade of petrol and does the Minister not feel that the public should be protected against exploitation by the petrol companies?
Hear, hear.
That is all they are doing. If they are giving 6d off, I want to know off what.
Mr. O'Leary
It is a question of price control.
The grade of petrol best suited to any particular car is affected by the octane which must be related to the compression ratio of the car. The quality of petrol is judged by its ability to prevent "knocking" but how you estimate the value of a certain amount of petrol with a certain amount of octane is beyond my knowledge of petrol.
Is it not strange that a petrol company can suddenly reduce the price by 6d without giving a reason for it and we can only assume it is because of a lower octane rating and that people are actually using petrol of inferior quality? Either of two things arises: they are charging too much or else they are offering petrol of lower quality.
That is not necessarily so. As I say, the octane rating is only one of many things determining the quality of petrol.
The octane determines the price.
This is the Deputy's statement.
Is the Minister not aware of that fact?
Surely, what Deputy Crowley is worried about is that you are getting more "knock" for a lower price.
I gather that if you relate the octane to the compression ratio, you can get less "knock" at different prices.
You can have your choice.
Does the Minister not feel that the public should be protected or guided in some way as to what they are buying if they are getting 6d a gallon off?
It is very difficult. There have been tests carried out by consumer representative groups on the quality of petrol and each comes up with this finding that the octane rating is not everything in relation to quality and it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for me to do a test on every petrol or to put up some sign protecting the public. I think the public is well able to protect itself in matters when there is competition. Is this not what you are grumbling about?
Mr. O'Leary
I would hope that the Minister would accede to the eloquent plea of a member of his own Party for the protection of the public. We want to assure the Minister that the public are not too well protected in this matter of consumer protection.
I think we can get out of this and go on to the next question.
Are you knocking, a Cheann Comhairle?
I am.
Was the Minister in contact with the petrol companies about this question of octane rating?
Where I get my information is my own business.
The Minister must protect the public.
It is not the Minister's own business. That is a bad statement to make in the Dáil, that it is your own business.
My business to do what?
To protect the public.