Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
184. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Finance his plans to introduce laundered diesel testing as a core component of the national car test and commercial vehicle road tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41376/20]
View answerI am advised by Revenue that it does not have any plans to introduce laundered diesel testing as part of the NCT and DOE road tests.
Revenue takes a multifaceted approach to tackling the misuse of fuel. Its compliance activities in this area include roadside sampling of private and commercial vehicles at checkpoints combined with a risk based targeted sampling programme based on enhanced supply chain reporting for suppliers and retailers. In addition, Revenue and the UK Revenue and Customs undertook a joint initiative to introduce a new marker for use in marked fuels, which came into operation in April 2015.
I am advised by Revenue that it conducted a random National Sampling Programme in the years 2016 to 2019 to assess the extent of fuel laundering. The 2019 programme involved samples being taken from over 200 randomly selected licenced fuel outlets and transport sector trades. Evidence of misuse of fuel was discovered in only 3 cases.
The results represent confirmation of the effectiveness of the various measures introduced by Revenue in recent years to enhance compliance in the fuel trade and among users of diesel. The random sampling programme results do not signify the complete elimination of the illicit trade in fuel. However, they do demonstrate that systematic selling of illicit fuel through retail outlets and its use in the transport sector is negligible.
Despite this success, I am assured by Revenue that combating such criminality continues to be a priority. Revenue and An Garda Síochána collaborate closely in acting against cross-border fuel crime and also cooperate with their counterparts in Northern Ireland under the framework of the North-South Joint Agency Task Force. This cooperation plays a key role in targeting the organised crime groups who operate across jurisdictions and are responsible for much of this criminality.
