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Dáil Éireann - Volume 269 - 12 December, 1973

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Supply Situation.

4. Mr. Gallagher asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will take steps to ensure that the country's fishermen will receive, as far as possible, their full requirements of fuel oil during the present crisis.

5. Mr. R.P. Burke asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will instruct the oil companies to guarantee supplies to the glasshouse owners of North County Dublin whose livelihoods are endangered by the present regulations.

6. Mr. Hussey asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the serious consequences for agricultural contractors and the agricultural industry generally by reason of cuts in the supply of diesel oil; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

7. Mr. Lemass asked the Minister for Transport and Power if fuel will be made available to the poultry industry.

Mr. P. Barry: With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose [1508] to take Questions Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 together.

As I have already outlined to the House, the delivery of oil products for manufacturing industry, agriculture and essential users has been fixed at 95 per cent of last year's levels.

I appreciate that these restrictions are creating difficulties for many sectors in the economy, but I must stress that in the present situation every sector in the community is expected to ensure that economies are made in keeping with the cuts set out in the orders made by me on 16th November, 1973.

I have met the Irish Farmers Association to exchange views on the current oil situation and its impact for agriculture. My Department have been in touch with the commercial horticultural section of the IFA.

There is also liaison between the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and various fishermen's representative organisations with my Department and the oil companies regarding supplies for the trawler fleets and every effort is being made to ensure availability of supplies.

Mr. R.P. Burke: The Minister in taking these questions together included one put down by me regarding the glasshouse industry. I appreciate that the Minister is aware of the problem but will he go the full way today and guarantee supplies at least during the winter period when they are so necessary for the glasshouse industry?

Mr. P. Barry: I could not guarantee a 100 per cent supply for the glasshouse industry or for the fishing or any other industry in the present situation. My Department have been in touch with the horticultural section of the IFA and other people interested in the glasshouse industry. Every effort will be made to ensure that they will get an adequate supply but in the present situation I cannot guarantee everyone will have enough oil to carry him over the winter period.

Mr. R.P. Burke: The main problem in the glasshouse industry is the [1509] continuity of supply. If a glasshouse owner has not oil supplies for every single night, if he is deprived of supply on a night when there may be frost, his entire crop and all his work for the previous 12 months may be ruined. Glasshouse owners could operate on a slightly less than full supply—what is vital is continuity of supply.

Mr. P. Barry: Every effort will be made to ensure continuity of supply but no guarantee can be given.

Mr. Brennan: With regard to fishing fleets in different areas and the Minister's statement that he is making every effort to ensure supply, does this mean that fishing fleets will not be tied up at the piers on days when there are shoals of herrings to be obtained, to the benefit of the economy and the employment of fishermen?

Mr. P. Barry: The fishing situation is difficult. There was a problem in Burtonport, Cahirciveen, Galway and another port but this has been resolved. There is a problem in that fleets that would normally be stationed at Burtonport may be fishing off Waterford and the Dunmore area. The oil companies are looking into the feasibility of having supplies taken around the country in tankers for the fishing fleets. An Bord Iascaigh Mhara are in contact with the oil companies and they are advising regarding the location of the fishing fleets on particular days. Efforts have been made to ensure that there will be oil available to them.

Mr. Lemass: Arising from the Minister's reply—

An Ceann Comhairle: Deputies will appreciate we have already debated this matter at some length this week in the House.

Mr. Lemass: My question was put down for Tuesday but it was held over until today in order that the debate might be held first. The poultry industry, which is an important industry, could experience similar difficulties to those referred to by Deputy Burke in connection with glasshouses. Is the Minister aware of this?

[1510] Mr. P. Barry: Yes, I am so aware and the matter is being considered.

8. Mr. Lemass asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will instruct garages to exempt drivers of invalid cars from queuing for petrol and from quantity limitations on petrol.

Mr. P. Barry: Following recent discussions between my Department, the major oil distributing companies and the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, arrangements are being made which it is hoped will eliminate queuing at garages and recent indications are that queues are, in fact, disappearing. The society are requesting their members to facilitate categories of persons requiring priority treatment such as doctors, disabled persons, et cetera, wherever possible. If these people make themselves known to the garage attendants they will be facilitated as far as possible.

Mr. Lemass: Is the Minister aware that since his statement yesterday the queues have re-appeared today?

Mr. P. Barry: No, I am not. I understand there has been some increase in the length of the queues but the garage people do not think it is as serious as it was a week or a fortnight ago.

Mr. Blaney: Is the Minister aware of a new practice emerging? According to last evening's papers the sale of cars, both new and secondhand, is being promoted with the guarantee that petrol supplies will be available as they want it and as much as they want for I do not know how many months ahead? This was in large type in the evening papers yesterday.

An Ceann Comhairle: This is a new matter being injected into the question.

Mr. P. Barry: I am not aware of it. I did not see the advertisement but I will have it looked into and see what is the position.

9. Mr. Lemass asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will promote advertising programmes on radio and television and in the press [1511] which would advise on methods of fuel conservation.

Mr. P. Barry: A publicity campaign in the newspapers and on radio and television has been operating for some time urging the public to take all possible measures to achieve economies in cutback in use of petroleum and petroleum products and giving advice on some ways in which fuel can be conserved.

Mr. Lemass: The Minister will appreciate that this question has been down for something over a week and that the advertising only started about the same time.

Mr. P. Barry: The advertising started over a fortnight ago.

Mr. Lemass: About the same time.

10. Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is satisfied that filling stations owned by oil companies throughout the country are not receiving preferential treatment with regard to supplies during the present oil crisis.

Mr. P. Barry: I have no reason to think otherwise. If the Deputy has any evidence of such a practice, he should send it to me and I will investigate it.

11. Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Transport and Power the total storage facilities for oil at Dublin docks; and if he is satisfied that these facilities are fully utilised at present.

Mr. P. Barry: The total capacity for oil storage at Dublin docks is over ½ million metric tons. This storage is used by the oil companies, CIE, ESB, the Irish Glass Bottle Company and the Gas Company.

Stocks held at the port at present amount to about 250,000 tons. The level of stocks normally fluctuates from time to time but they were lower than usual at the onset of the present oil shortage for a number of reasons including the pilots ban on ships over 400 feet in length.

Mr. Barrett: Would the Minister say whether he has taken any steps, [1512] in conjunction with the oil companies, in regard to the erection of more storage tanks in the country?

Mr. P. Barry: As I explained yesterday, we are required under EEC and OECD regulations to keep our stocks at a certain level. We have been, certainly as long as I have been in office and for some time before it, endeavouring to see ways in which this can be done. Of course, this would have to be done in conjunction with the oil companies who have been co-operating and realise that we must keep certain stock levels.

Mr. Barrett: Are the oil companies giving the Minister their full co-operation?

Mr. P. Barry: Yes, I am quite confident I am getting full co-operation from the oil companies based in this country.

12. Mr. Moore asked the Minister for Transport and Power if any part of the country's oil supplies are carried in Irish owned or Irish registered vessels from the various oil supplying countries.

Mr. P. Barry: Six small tankers registered in Ireland and owned by two Irish companies carry small quantities of oil to Irish ports from Milford Haven. Other than this oil supplies to Ireland are carried in foreign vessels.

13. Mr. Lemass asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the fact that Ireland has now been designated a friendly country by the oil producing countries of the Middle East, he will state when the present fuel crisis will be alleviated.

Mr. P. Barry: Production of oil in the Middle East is at present being reduced and the impact of this reduction is felt worldwide. It is not possible to say when the position will be alleviated.

Mr. Lemass: If I understood the newspapers correctly, there is to be a further 5 per cent cutback in January. The Minister yesterday referred to a 30 per cent cutback. Is this because of bad treatment by the Middle East [1513] countries or bad treatment by the refineries in England?

Mr. P. Barry: No, this is the estimated level of cutback which was given to me yesterday by the oil companies here. I am endeavouring to find out now how accurate this is. Of course, this will include the proposed 5 per cent cut that was announced by the Arab States at the weekend.

Mr. Lemass: Is the cut coming from the Arab States or from the English refineries?

Mr. P. Barry: There is a cutdown in production in the Arab States and this is affecting everybody.

Mr. R.P. Burke: Am I to take it that the Minister still has not got the answer to whether it is to be a 30 per cent cut or not?

Mr. P. Barry: Yes.

Mr. R.P. Burke: This is 36 hours later and the Minister still has not got this information from the oil companies?

Mr. P. Barry: I have got their estimation of it. As to whether their estimation is correct or not, I am endeavouring to find out now and I still have not got that information.

Mr. R.P. Burke: Thirty-six hours later?

Mr. P. Barry: It may even go longer.

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