asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism the action he proposes to take to control the prices being charged by multi-national oil companies in this country.

Control of prices of a wide range of petroleum products sold by the major oil companies is exercised by means of orders under the Prices Acts. The current order in force is the Maximum Prices (Petroleum Products) (No. 5) Order, 1983, which was made on 29 April, 1983. This Order sets maximum prices for petroleum products, but of course the actual prices charged by the companies are not necessarily those set out in the order; they are in many instances lower, reflecting various discounts and rebates given by the companies on many petroleum products. The maximum prices set are kept continually under review both by my Department and the National Prices Commission, which advises me on this matter.

Since the prices are subject to Government order, could the Minister tell the House if he is satisfied that these orders are correctly made, in view of the fact that companies selling on the Irish market can sell the same produce down the road in Northern Ireland at a much cheaper rate and if the Minister can explain to traders, consumers and others concerned the reason for this difference? I need not go into the figures here and need not tell the Minister the difference in the figures. Is the Minister satisfied that the Government should make new orders regulating those prices? Since oil companies are actually selling below the order price made, were the Government given the right information when they made those orders?

I can appreciate the concern of everybody with the price of oil products here because it has very wideranging effects on the commercial and social life of the country. As I explained, the petroleum prices are at present subject to control and the National Prices Commission keep under continuous surveillance movements that would affect the price of petrol and other oil products. There are some comparisons which, in the opinion of my Department, are not valid because they do not compare like with like. But a number of factors are taken into consideration in determining the price of oil products and this is done with great care and attention by the National Prices Commission. Some time ago I asked the National Prices Commission to undertake a special review of the whole pricing mechanism of oil products. That review is under way and I expect their report in the near future. That report will take into consideration all the relevant factors regarding any differential between here and the United Kingdom and other member states of the EEC. It is only fair to say that I believe the National Prices Commission have approached their task in a responsible and balanced way and, while not directed by them, at least I must be guided by their recommendations.

Would the Minister agree that it must be a matter of the gravest concern that, since we began controlling our petrol prices in 1979, the differential between the Irish pre-tax price of petrol and the UK pre-tax price of petrol has moved from a position of being 10 per cent in Ireland less than it was in the UK in January 1980, steadily upwards to a position where it now costs 50 per cent more per pre-tax unit of petrol here in January of this year? Would the Minister agree also that it is a matter of gravest concern that over that same period, 1979 to 1983, the mark-up given to importers had doubled?

No. As a matter of fact I can tell the House the factors that are taken into consideration: the international oil price movement both on official and on spot prices, as these affect the cost of imported produce and exchange rate movements of the Irish pound against the dollar on which international oil prices are fixed. The House will agree also that there has been some considerable fluctuation between the punt and pound sterling and indeed between the pound and the dollar particularly in the period the Deputy mentioned which would have had a very significant impact on our pricing.

The question was raised earlier of retail prices here. In retail prices here there is a margin of between 6p and 7p more than is given in the United Kingdom and in other European countries. That is justified by our throughput and the limited market we have. All of these factors, including the Whitegate one, tend to make the difference. As I said earlier, all relevant factors are very closely scrutinised by the National Prices Commission and they are at present engaged in a comprehensive review of price control with regard to oil products.

On a number of occasions the Minister has emphasised that all relevant factors are kept under constant surveillance by the National Prices Commission. How then can the National Prices Commission and the Minister justify signing orders for prices which are greater than the companies can actually charge the motorist because the market place will not withstand them? Surely it is the responsibility of the National Prices Commission and the Minister to protect the interests of motorists? How then can the Minister justify signing orders for prices which are higher than the market place itself can sustain?

I am surprised at the Deputy asking that question——

The Minister should not be, because there are a lot of people feeling the pinch out there.

As I explained earlier, the order relates to maximum prices. There are factors in individual companies that would allow them to charge less than the maximum price which would not necessarily apply to other companies. I am sure the Deputy will agree that a Government agency dealing in an area such as this must do so in an objective and fair manner and take into consideration the circumstances not merely of the very large companies which may be in a position to offer their produce at lower prices — and that applies to a wide range of produce — but also those companies who would not be in a position to do that and who, in order to remain solvent, would have to charge the maximum price. It is the maximum prices that is important and there is nothing to stop anybody in any other area charging less.

6.