asked the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism if and when he has been given recommendations by the National Prices Commission in relation to oil prices.

I am advised by the National Prices Commission on an ongoing basis in relation to the prices of a wide range of commodities, including oil products. The commission keeps such prices continually under review and advises me as it thinks fit.

The commission have made many recommendations to me over the past years in relation to petroleum product prices and details of these recommendations are contained in the Commission's monthly reports which are presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas. In their latest recommendation on this subject which I received in late March 1983 the Commission recommended significant across the barrel reductions in petroleum product prices and following this recommendation I made an order on 31 March 1983 which reduced the pre-tax price of petrol by an average of about 13 pence per gallon. Reductions were also made on the same date, in the pre-tax price of gas oil averaging about 7 pence per gallon while fuel oil was reduced by amounts ranging from 1p to 3.5p per gallon.

Would the Minister agree with me that while we expected these prices to come about, and they were entirely justified, nevertheless they reflect only recent changes in the price of oil in the market place and not the excessive prices being charged already? We appreciate that this is a situation the Minister inherited from his predecessors, and not something that happened today or yesterday. But the Minister should comment on the fact that this most recent reduction barely compensates for the reduction in oil prices we had recently and does not take into account the fact that we were already being overcharged to the extent that we——

A question, please, Deputy.

Is the Minister further aware that the price of petrol here is still 163 per cent that of the lowest in other EEC countries with which we are forced to compete?

As I said earlier on a couple of occasions, the National Prices Commission take all factors into consideration in determining their recommendations. It is only fair to say that it was not just the price of petrol or of oil dropping on the international market that contributed to the decrease we experienced but also the fluctuation in international currency which had an effect, and that all of those factors were taken into consideration by the National Prices Commission. However, to ensure that the full facts are known and so that there can be no doubt but that all the relevant factors are taken into consideration, at my request the National Prices Commission are engaged in a very comprehensive review of the whole pricing mechanism with regard to oil products, and I expect to have their report in the near future. I can assure the House and the Deputy that any factor which can contribute to the reduction of the price of oil products here will be seized on and implemented by me.

Deputy Flynn and then a final supplementary from Deputy Molony.

May I suggest to the Minister that the National Prices Commission do not take all factors into consideration? The major factor they should be concerned with, which would result in a significant reduction in the retail price of petrol, is the question of the price that the international companies contract with their Irish subsidiaries and it does not reflect a true figure on world markets. Herein lies the great difficulty and I would ask the Minister——

We are getting into a debate.

——to ensure that the next time the National Prices Commission make a recommendation on the retail price of petrol it will reflect what is the base world market price to the major oil companies and not the one as issued to their subsidiaries.

I am satisfied that all factors are taken into consideration by the National Prices Commission.

Would the Minister accept that the currency fluctuation cost amounts to no more than 6p per gallon taking into account such fluctuations over the past two years? Would the Minister also accept that the only other reason for a price differential as between this country and the United Kingdom is the Whitegate factor which he himself or his Department have assessed at a cost of about 4p per gallon? Would the Minister accept that the other reasons given by him, namely the particular problems of small Irish retailers, are problems that existed prior to our taking the price control of petrol into out own hands in 1979 and that prior to then problems like those of retailers did not seem to cause any differential as between our price and that in the United Kingdom?

Statements are being made which are not comparing like with like. Some considerable time ago oil prices were not a major issue as they are now and rightly so. The factors which were mentioned by the Deputy are not the only factors that have to be taken into consideration. The question of the retailers amounts to approximately 6p to 7p more that in other countries which have been mentioned. On the question of Whitegate the figure would be nearer to 6p than 4p per gallon. There are a number of other factors, including the fluctuation in the exchange rate between the dollar and the punt. That is a major consideration. There are other factors which are not within the control of my Department but which relate to the whole question of energy policies. It may be advantageous at a particular time to buy solely on the spot market which could result in considerable reductions. There are, however, disadvantages in that approach. It has not yet been decided. Although those factors are not within the control of my Department they are all factors which obviously have an effect on the price.

Deputy De Rossa with a final supplementary. I am sorry, we have dealt with six questions in over half an hour.

I found it very difficult to hear the Minister's response. Have the Department or the Minister at any time in recent years refused an application for an increase or varied it in any way and are the oil companies required in law to apply for increases or do they simply do it as a matter of courtesy?

They are required to submit application to the National Prices Commission. They cannot just raise the prices. I cannot honestly say whether in the past any increases sought were refused or varied except in relation to the last one. I made a variation in the recommendation that was made with regard to the decreases of last March. It is the normal practice to allow flexibility for the oil companies in relation to each product — petrol, heavy fuel, gas. On the last occasion when the commission made their recommendation I did not accept it in full. I insisted that a greater proportion should be taken off petrol than the other two products. I felt and still feel that that would have the greatest impact as far as the consumer is concerned.

7.