asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if his attention has been drawn to the fact that paraffin oil, which is used by some elderly people in the lower income group for cooking and heating, is costing only half as much in the North of Ireland as in this jurisdiction; if he will take steps to have the position remedied; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I presume that the Deputy is referring to regular kerosene which is used mainly in central heating systems as I understand that no other form of paraffin is available at consumer level.

My inquiries reveal that the schedule price for a litre of regular kerosene is about 26p Irish in Northern Ireland and a little over 22p in the State. Various discounts and rebates are available on these prices and the actual retail price is, apparently, significantly lower in the North, mainly because of these discounts and the fact that no VAT or duty is charged on the product in the North whereas between 5½p and 6p per litre is charged here.