asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the price of oil to fishermen in Ireland, England, France and Northern Ireland.

I presume the Deputy is referring to the price of marine diesel oil which is the fuel oil used by the bulk of Irish fishermen.

While my Department is not responsible for monitoring the prices of oil products my information is as follows:

In Ireland there are marginal differences in the unit price of fuel oil to fishermen depending on individual distribution arrangements.

The maximum price has been fixed at 7.72p per litre, including an increase of 0.55p with effect from 20th November, 1976.

In Britain and Northern Ireland apart from marginal distribution differences there is an overall zoning arrangement based on distance from the various refineries. The present maximum prices for the different zones including an increase of 0.77p sanctioned recently are:

As regards France, I understand the price arrangements there are comparatively more complicated in their zoning and taxation structure and there have been recent price revisions, details of which are not yet available in my Department.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary admit at this stage that the price of oil to Irish fishermen is a lot higher than to any of our EEC partners? Has the Parliamentary Secretary or his Minister any scheme on hand to entice his colleague, the Minister for Finance, to subsidise the price of oil to Irish fishermen in view of the distastrous fishing season Irish fishermen are having?

There is a marginal difference in the price of oil here and in Northern Ireland. It is approximately .3p per litre. As far as France is concerned, the price is generally higher but it will be another week before up-to-date information will be available. The answer to the second part of the Deputy's supplementary question which does not arise directly from this question is that there are no proposals to subsidise oil at present.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary happy that Irish fishermen are paying a lot more than any of their EEC partners for oil?

I would like to see Irish fishermen happy and making as much money as is possible but the Government have given them every consideration as far as the availability of public funds is concerned. Since we took up office we have increased the vote on fisheries by more than 300 per cent. Fishermen are aware of that and if further improvements are needed such improvements will be made if and when we feel that it is feasible to do so.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider recommending to the Minister for Finance that VAT be removed from oil to fishermen?

That is a separate question. Question No. 5.

That is a matter to be dealt with generally in the budgetary proposals that will be coming before the House.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary indicate to the House whether he will make the recommendation to the Minister for Finance?

There are no such proposals at present.

Question No. 5.

5.