Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 May 1979

Vol. 314 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - Oil Supplies.

Mr. Enright

I am raising this evening the situation in regard to the regulations introduced by the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy in regard to the petrol situation in this country. I would describe those regulations as purely cosmetic. They constitute an absolute failure by the Government to bring about any improvement in the petrol situation. I shall deal with this from two approaches: one, the disastrous effects the petrol shortage is having on our tourist industry and, secondly, that no proper regulations have been introduced by the Minister in regard to diesel being provided for farmers.

In regard to the regulations, anybody who has any commonsense and who is moving around this city or the countryside will see that they are not being adhered to for the simple reason that the petrol stations have not sufficient quantities of petrol at present. There is no doubt about that whatsoever. The petrol stations are endeavouring to keep as many people happy as they can but they just have not sufficient quantities to provide the necessary fuel.

Deputy O'Malley, the Minister, has been saying that people were queueing up for 50p or a £'s worth for topping up purposes. That is totally incorrect. There may be the odd crank or two looking for 50p worth to top up but the ordinary commonsense people will not waste their time queueing at petrol stations if they can get by without doing so. That is one fact of life that should be realised: that most people who are queueing at petrol stations are doing so because they need the fuel.

The fuel and petrol shortage has been aggravated completely by the postal dispute. Throughout the length and breadth of the country people are having to travel around to deliver letters——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is dealing with petrol, not with the postal dispute.

Mr. Enright

Exactly, Sir, but people are having to travel by motor car to deliver letters and make arrangements for the delivery of post; that is in areas where there are telephones. But in an area where there are neither letters nor telephones people are having to travel around making arrangements to deliver messages, post and so on. All of this activity is eating into our already scarce energy supplies. It means also that the shortage of petrol is further aggravated and is causing unnecessary travel.

Another matter with which the Minister has made no effort to cope is that of petrol stations closing early on week days and at week-ends which is causing very serious problems. One could notice the build-up after last weekend on Monday, yesterday and again today. This situation will be aggravated further over the holiday weekend, the next fortnight or so.

The Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy is aware that the projections of revenue from our tourist industry this year amount to approximately £320 million. I understand that Bord Fáilte are carrying out a review of their projected figures. I do not know why they have not issued their revised projections but it is my opinion that those projections will be cut by approximately half. Therefore, because of the energy problem and the postal dispute there will be an approximate loss to our economy this year of £150 million. This is not something that will happen next week or in a fortnight's time; it has happened already and is going on as I speak. I believe it will mean a direct loss to our economy of approximately £150 million, which is a shattering figure and something about which everybody is alarmed. I live in the heart of the country in an area where we have neither post nor petrol. I am meeting people involved in the hotel and tourist industry who are really taking me to task about this situation. All I can do is to endeavour to bring the seriousness of the situation to the attention of the Minister and of allowing it to continue unabated.

The Minister of State is a sensible man. He is aware that our tourist industry in recent years has been increasing steadily; the figures have been rising each year. This year not alone will they level off but they will drop considerably unless some efforts are made to remedy a serious situation.

I want a categorical answer from the Minister to this question. Does he not agree with me that his Department know that rationing is absolutely necessary? I believe, if the postal services were restored, we would immediately have petrol rationing. The only reason we have not got it now is that the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy are unable to distribute the ration books throughout the country to the people who will be using them. If they were given to Bord Fáilte they would not be able to distribute them either.

The only way to improve the situation is to resolve the postal strike and to ration petrol. I urge the Minister and the Government to stop shilly-shallying in regard to the postal dispute and have negotiations take place between the responsible Minister and the Post Office Workers' Union.

An Ceann Comhairle

We are not dealing with the postal dispute. We are dealing with the petrol situation.

Mr. Enright

I am endeavouring to do so. I do not want to be critical about this matter without providing a remedy. Once the postal services are restored ration books can be provided for the people using petrol. I have been told that when people with their cars arrive at our ports and they realise they cannot be guaranteed a supply of petrol they stay one night and leave. No effort is being made to try to remedy this situation.

There were two letters published in yesterday's Irish Times dealing with this matter. One of them was from Tom and Rosaleen Maher, Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon and told about the considerable drop in their hotel bookings. Last year they had advanced bookings of 404 bed-nights and this year they have 105. The second letter was from a person in Holland who was arranging nine coach tours of 40 people each. He said:

I may get stuck with the passengers somewhere in the country because of lack of diesel for the coach.

This makes him seriously question if he will come to Ireland. I ask the Minister to make a serious effort to have the postal dispute resolved and bring in petrol rationing for our tourist industry. My time is limited and I am prevented from discussing the matter further but rationing should be introduced for farmers who will be using machinery to cut silage in the near future.

Minister of State at the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy (Mr. R. Burke)

I came into the House to answer the failure of the Minister to rectify the petrol shortage. I assumed Deputy Enright would make a serious contribution which would justify keeping the staff of the House here after 8.30 p.m. I realise, after listening to him, as everybody else must, that all he is doing is playing to a gallery in his constituency for a local election which he is fighting on 7 June. His contribution had more to do with the postal dispute than with the petrol shortage. He mentioned the orders made by the Minister but he did not refer to the original order made.

Mr. Enright

I have both of them here.

Mr. R. Burke

The Deputy might have them with him but he did not use them.

Mr. Enright

They are absolutely useless.

Mr. R. Burke

The first order stated:

In the period beginning on the commencement of this Order and ending on the 30th day of June, 1979, an oil wholesaler, oil retailer or a distributor shall, in the delivery of gas diesel oil, give priority to the delivery of such oil for the purposes of the following—

(a) agriculture,

(b) commerce,

(c) fisheries,

(d) hospitals and similar institutions,

(e) industry,

(f) tourism.

The guidelines were clearly set down there and those are the guidelines which are being worked on. Nobody doubts that there is a petrol shortage. The demand for petrol in Ireland has increased considerably over the past 12 months because of the phenomenal growth rate as a result of the policies carried out by the Government despite the totally irresponsible accusations made by Deputy Enright. It is a proven fact that we have seen a phenomenal growth rate in the last 12 months and, consequently, because of the world shortage—other countries right across Europe are also short of petrol—it is hitting us harder. We cannot expect to be immune from the effect of a tightness in supply.

There is not an unlimited supply of petrol in the world market at the moment. The price orders made last weekend should help considerably in alleviating the shortage of petrol. However, it will take 10 to 14 days for the effect of the higher prices to be reflected in increased deliveries of petrol to the Irish market by the oil companies. We have had discussions with the oil companies and they have been asked to respond to the favourable climate now created for supplying oil here. All of them have indicated that they are doing everything in their power to get the additional supplies of petrol and other oil products into our market. Even the Deputy will realise that it takes 10 to 14 days for it to be shipped and to be sent to the filling stations.

As far as tourism is concerned, the Minister, speaking on 8 May last—I also spoke on this Private Members' Motion—made the point that we are giving special attention to the problems of the tourist industry and are doing everything in our power to sort out any difficulties. The oil companies are assisting us in this. As far as coach tours are concerned we have arranged that special facilities for the diesel needs of tourist operators will be met. I do not know what the quotation the Deputy gave from the gentleman in Holland is about. It highlights the totally irresponsible nature of the case put up by the Deputy to say that no topping up was going on. There was but this, to a great extent, has been sorted out as a result of the £5 minimum purchase order.

Mr. Enright

Was the Minister around Dublin this morning?

Mr. R. Burke

We are not in need of rationing during the present difficulties, which will be pretty well sorted out within 10 to 14 days. Rationing is a last resort which in many ways creates more problems than it will ever solve. It might suit Deputy Enright in a local election campaign to say that the only reason it has not been brought in is the postal strike but those are not the facts of the situation.

With regard to the agricultural community and their supposed problems, as outlined by Deputy Enright, I assure him that any problems that have been brought to the attention of the Department—there are very few from the agricultural area—are being looked after. The needs of the agricultural community are being more than adequately met. I would like to go into more detail but, even if I had time, the arguments put up by Deputy Enright do not warrant a more lengthy reply.

The Dáil adjourned at 9 p.m. until 11.30 a.m. on Thursday, 24 May 1979.