asked the Minister for Industry and Comerce if he will make an order for petrol stations to resume normal trading hours in order to eliminate queues which have a damaging effect on national productivity.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Petrol Station Trading Hours.
35.
I have no power to make orders requiring petrol stations to remain open for business between particular hours or for any length of time.
Will the Minister agree that one of the major causes of the queues is because of the restricted hours of trading? Is the Minister aware that people leave their place of employment to get petrol? This is not in the national interest.
There is the creation of queues by this practice and there is also the matter that people are working very short hours or are being laid off because the petrol stations remain open for a short time. The point is that in no extra legislation is there a provision that a petrol station should not stay open for longer than a certain time. There is no legislation to compel anybody to stay open for a certain length of time.
Surely it would come under fair trading practices?
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
I wish to give notice that I intend to raise the subject matter of the Tullamore County Hospital on the Adjournment.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Question No. 28 on the Order Paper.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputies.