asked the Minister for Justice if he has given any instruction to the Garda Commissioner to ensure that all petrol available to Garda stations throughout the country will be unleaded; if he will assure the public that his Department are following the encouragement of the Minister for the Environment, to ensure that all petrol driven Garda Síochána vehicles are currently using unleaded petrol; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Garda Fleet Fuel.
37.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that an immediate change to the use of unleaded petrol in the entire Garda fleet is not feasible at present. Over 40 per cent of the vehicles in the existing Garda fleet cannot use unleaded petrol, even with modification, and the Garda have the facility to store only one type of motor fuel at centres where bulk purchase and storage of petrol by them is important for economic and security reasons.
However, the Garda authorities have decided to convert to the use of unleaded petrol on a phased basis as vehicles in the fleet which cannot use unleaded petrol are replaced and as the availability of unleaded petrol throughout the State increases. As a first step, the vehicles assigned to Garda Headquarters, including the Ministerial fleet, will be changed to unleaded petrol towards the end of May, when the current petrol stocks in the storage tank there are used up and are replaced with unleaded petrol. Garda vehicles assigned to other centres will be changed to unleaded petrol on a phased basis as soon as circumstances allow.