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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Mar 1986

Vol. 364 No. 9

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - LPG Storage Tanks.

10.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware of the mounting concern about the safety of LPG storage tanks being fitted in motor cars and other vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

While I agree that concern about the safety of LPG storage tanks being fitted in motor vehicles has been expressed on occasions in the past, I think it would be an overstatement to say that the concern is mounting. There is, nonetheless, a need to set minimum safety standards for LPG to minimise any risks involved.

A technical committee under the aegis of the IIRS have been established to draw up a code of practice for the installation of equipment for the use of LPG propellant. This committee include, among others, representatives of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, the LPG industry, the Garda Síochána and the Department of the Environment.

The committee are expected to complete their work in the near future with the code of practice being used by LPG installers to ensure maximum safety in the use of LPG.

When the committee issue their recommendations as to the installation of these gas tanks in cars, will the Department be acting as a supervisory authority in seeing that those standards are implemented?

If the standard is completed it will be adopted as an Irish standard and compliance with it will be voluntary. If it is considered desirable that all or part of the Irish standard be made mandatory, legislative action will be required. This would be a matter for the Minister for the Environment and if he considers that there is a need for a mandatory rather than a voluntary standard, then I am sure the necessary legislation will be introduced. I want to emphasise that there have been six accidents in the past eight or nine years and I do not believe there is mounting concern in this area or that there is a major problem of safety. I am happy to rely on the report of the technical committee of the IIRS.

There is mounting——

Deputy Foley has been sitting here for the past hour and we have not come to his question, Question No. 11. There have been complaints about that——

This is a final supplementary. The Minister said there have been five or six accidents——

——in the past few years, but if a gas tank in the back of a car blows up and five or six people are killed, will this matter be urgent then? The Minister has not been absolutely clear whether the implementation of the standard will be voluntary or mandatory, and who will supervise it. All I want to know is, will any garage be entitled to instal a gas tank irrespective of the standard laid down? Can we take it that steps will be taken so that we can guarantee people's safety when these tanks are installed?

That is the objective we are trying to achieve. We are going through the correct procedure. The technical committee of the IIRS are to draw up the code of practice for the installation of equipment for the use of LPG propellant. There can be a voluntary standard but if the Minister for the Environment feels that a compulsory standard is required, he may bring in legislation. I am sure he will have full knowledge of the subject and will take great care in assessing the report. The Irish motor industry should be more than anxious to ensure that the safest code of practice will be used in the installation of these systems.

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