asked the Minister for Social Welfare, in respect of all petrol driven vehicles under the direct control and responsibility of his Department, the steps he has taken to ensure that only unleaded petrol is used by such vehicles; in respect of such vehicles (a) the number of vehicles concerned, (b) the approximate number of miles travelled per annum and (c) the date when a decision to use unleaded petrol was taken and implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Unleaded Petrol.
62.
There are 13 petrol driven cars under the direct control and responsibility of my Department.
At present eight cars, all of which are suitable for the use of unleaded petrol, are being used by officials of the Department. The officials were instructed in November 1988 to use unleaded petrol where it is possible to do so. The average mileage of these cars is 10,000 per annum per car. The remaining five are not in operation at present. Three of these cars require modification to use unleaded petrol, but it is intended to carry out the necessary technical adjustments before these cars are used for official business.
63.
asked the Minister for Finance, in respect of all petrol driven vehicles under the direct control and responsibility of his Department, the steps he has taken to ensure that only unleaded petrol is used by such vehicles; in respect of such vehicles (a) the number of vehicles concerned, (b) the approximate number of miles travelled per annum and (c) the date when a decision to use unleaded petrol was taken and implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
My Department have notified all the offices under my control and responsibility of the wishes of the Minister for the Environment regarding the use of unleaded petrol.
Three offices under my control have petrol driven vehicles, and the position in relation to these is as follows. I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that there are 74 petrol driven vehicles in their fleet and that the annual mileage is of the order of 1,500,000 miles. Forty-six of these vehicles can use unleaded petrol without modification and it is the commissioners' policy, when purchasing new petrol driven vehicles, to ensure that they are capable of using unleaded petrol. However, there are constraints on the use of unleaded petrol. In the Border area, where most of the fleet is based, there are few garages which supply unleaded petrol and even in urban areas there are difficulties in locating garages which are agreeable to supply petrol on an accounts system. The availability of unleaded petrol is under continuous review and a further survey is being conducted at present.
The Valuational and Ordnance Survey Office have five petrol driven vehicles and their approximate annual mileage is 75,000 miles. All five vehicles are capable of using unleaded petrol and all drivers have been instructed to avail of unleaded petrol where possible. A list of outlets which supply unleaded petrol has been distributed to the staff. The arrangement is being implemented since 1 January 1989.
The Commissioners of Public Works have 31 petrol driven vehicles in service, out of a total fleet of 313. None of them is capable of using unleaded petrol. It is the commissioners' policy, according as petrol driven vehicles are being replaced, to replace them by diesel driven engines which are more suited to the needs of the office. It is not possible to extract readily from overall mileage records the data relating to petrol driven vehicles.