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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Dec 1948

Vol. 113 No. 12

Written Answers. - Distribution of Petrol.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he can state what are the average percentages of petrol allocated to (1) agriculture, including tillage and threshing contractors; (2) private motoring, including tourism; (3) business and industrial purposes (a) affecting production and distribution of foodstuffs, (b) hackneys, taxis, private lorries, (c) airway companies, (d) other business and industrial uses, and (4) other purposes, falling under none of these headings, e.g., public transport; Government; Diplomatic Corps; local authorities, Garda Síochána and military.

I regret that it is not possible to furnish the information under the headings mentioned in the Deputy's question as the statistics are not kept under such headings and the time and expense involved in extracting the information would not be justified. The records available show that petrol supplies are allocated on the following basis:—

(a) Agricultural tractors and machinery, 8 per cent.

(b) Basic allowances for private motor cars and tourists' allowances, 15 per cent.

(c) Business and industrial purposes, 67 per cent.

(d) Other purposes, 10 per cent.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in order to avoid any interruption in farm work during the busy season, he will take steps to ensure that owners of tractors used for agricultural purposes can store supplies of petrol and tractor fuel against any temporary stoppage of distribution.

Petrol licences are issued on application to the owners of tractors which require petrol for operation. As regards tractors operating on vaporising oil, arrangements have been made for the issue of open permits authorising the purchase of such oil as and when required by tractor owners who may, if they wish, use the permit for the purchase of supplies for storage purposes. Owing to the limitation on supplies of petrol and the consequent necessity to maintain strict control over its user, it has not been the practice to issue petrol to be kept as reserve by any person. As I do not anticipate any hold-up in supplies I see no reason for altering this practice.

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