andMr. Molony asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will consider decontrolling the price of petrol.

During the course of their review of the price control system applied to petroleum products the National Prices Commission considered the question of decontrol of petrol prices and recommended against decontrol at this time. I am currently considering their recommendations on this matter.

Does the Minister not believe that the argument in favour of decontrol for a limited experimental period would be worth trying?

In their study the National Prices Commission gave their advice on the subject. While they would recommend substantial modifications in the existing system, which I think they consider to be inflexible in a number of respects, they do not recommend the implementation of decontrol. I have indicated that I will be considering that matter very closely within the next few weeks. I have not come to a final decision on the subject.

Would the Minister agree that if he brought in decontrol of petrol prices this would have a most detrimental effect on industry, unit costs of production and all transport costs in the west and would be a death blow to all kinds of development there?

Obviously considerations of that kind are ones which I will have to bear in mind. I will not risk the censure of the Chair by answering at undue length.

It would be better if the Minister could avoid that.

When the Minister has a chance to examine the report he has on his desk, he might consider introducing a form of decontrol while making allowance for the concern expressed by Deputy Flynn. It would be quite possible to introduce decontrol which would remove the administrative costs on management and on Government which the present price control regime insist on and remove the distortions in the market and the inefficient allocation of resources within the industry. Apart from the reason about which Deputy Flynn expressed concern, there are a number of other reasons. If that is the Minister's concern he could consider a form of decontrol——

That is a long question.

I want to highlight the distinction between what Deputy Flynn is complaining about which is just one small point in a major question——

A debate on an Estimate would be a more appropriate time to do that.

If I were considering decontrol I would obviously have to give due weight to the point made by Deputy Flynn about the effect it might have on the price in isolated and relatively uneconomic stations which might be made to bear a higher price than they are bearing at present in the managed market situation.

Including transport costs.