andMr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Energy the figures for the importation of crude oil to the Whitegate oil refinery in each of the last five years; and the capacity at which the refinery was operating in each quarter of those years.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to circulate the reply which is in the form of a tabular statement:

Whitegate Oil Refinery, Co. Cork.

*Estimate.

Footnotes.

(a)Throughput includes crude oil and feedstocks.

(b)These percentages reflect normal shut-down for maintenance.

(c)Deviation from three previous quarters of 1980 reflects temporary shut-down in October 1980 due to distribution problem.

Do the figures indicate that the amount of oil going through the refinery has decreased in the last two periods?

Yes. Certainly the total amount that came through last year was a decrease on the previous year but I must point out that the figures are affected to some extent by the dispute which occurred last September-October.

Is it not true from the figures that the refinery is working under capacity?

There is no doubt about that.

And that at the same time the Irish National Oil Company is getting petroleum products refined outside the country?

That is correct.

Is it not a bit silly to talk about building a second refinery when at the same time a State company is getting other goods refined outside the country while the only refinery in the country is working well below full capacity?

It is not as simple as that, because there is a question of the cost of the refining contract and the products produced. It is not a simple comparison of whether you do it here or do it abroad. Other factors including those I mentioned have to be taken into account. As far as the Irish National Petroleum Company is concerned, they would wish, if possible, to have as much as possible of the oil at their disposal refined in this country.

It may not be simple for the Minister but it appears to be very simple to the people working in the refinery who see it operated at about 40 per cent of its potential and see their jobs endangered. Frequently we bear cost increases because we want things done inside our own jurisdiction rather than have them done abroad. I would ask the Minister to consider that aspect of the matter.

I should not like anybody to think that the figure the Deputy quoted was accurate about 40 per cent of our potential——

Below its potential, I meant.

A final supplementary question from Deputy Quinn.

Could the Minister say if the long-term reduction, not the distortion caused by last year's dispute, in the throughput at Whitegate, is in any way related to the fact that Whitegate's refining capacity does not enable it to reduce the lead content of the petroleum to an acceptable EEC standard?

No, I do not think that is correct nor would I like the House to have any false impression about this matter. The total throughput for 1978 was almost the same as in 1977 and the figure for 1979 was greater than in 1978. So, the reduction was in 1980 but that has been distorted by the dispute.

Ceist 10.

And the reduction is going on. At the moment it is well below capacity.

Would the Minister please answer a question when I call it?

If the Ceann Comhairle could assist me by preventing questions being put to me, I would avoid answering.

If the Minister would not reply to questions which are not in order because the Ceann Comhairle does not call on the Deputy to ask the questions, then we could proceed more rapidly. Ceist 10.