asked the Minister for the Environment the reasons Ireland sought and obtained a derogation from the EEC Directive relating to the lead content of petrol of June 29, 1978.
Written Answers. - Lead Content of Petrol.
360.
As indicated in reply to a Question on 10 May 1979, article 7 of the directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states concerning the lead content of petrol provides that petrol with a lead content not exceeding 0.64 grammes per litre may be placed on the market in Ireland for a period of five years from 1 January 1981, whereas in the other member states the maximum permitted lead content of petrol placed on the market from 1 January 1981 will be 0.40 grammes per litre. The derogation in favour of Ireland was sought because the large investment which would have been required to enable the Whitegate refinery to produce petrol with a lead content conforming with the directive would have placed the continued operation of the refinery in jeopardy. In addition, imports of crude oil would have had to be increased to produce petrol with a lower lead content and there would also be an increase in petrol consumption, estimated at 10 per cent. The petrol refined at Whitegate represented about 55 per cent of the total consumption of petrol in Ireland in 1978. The remaining 45 per cent was imported from the other member states which will be obliged to comply fully with the directive.