asked the Minister for Energy the current sulphur content of gas oil produced by Whitegate Oil Refinery, County Cork; and whether this should be reduced.

The current sulphur content of gas oil produced by Whitegate Oil Refinery does not exceed 0.3 per cent by weight. This level is in accordance with EC requirements. There are no proposals to reduce this limit at either national or EC levels for the moment.

Will the Minister agree that the EC Commission have signalled their intention to reduce the sulphur content limits next year? Will he indicate what implications the reduction to 0.1 per cent, which has been canvassed as a possible level, would have for Whitegate Refinery?

Improvement of the air environment calls for collaboration on many fronts. Policies must be settled by those responsible nationally and internationally. I am always supportive of any move to improve the quality of the environment. In this instance I believe the level of emissions of sulphur from gas oil in Ireland compares very favourably with our EC partners. The Deputy may know that before the takeover of the refinery by the State the sulphur and gas oil volume here amounted to 0.8 per cent. Current sulphur and gas oil volume is just one quarter of those earlier levels. If there is agreement to reduce the levels by all means we will have to comply, but I am not aware that there is any intention to reduce the requirements in the immediate future.

I assure the Minister that 1990 has been set as the target date and current thinking appears to be to bring them down to one third of their current level. If the Minister does not have the data available today will he return to us and give us some indication of what implications it would have for Whitegate and whether they can achieve this?

The Deputy knows the EC moves in different ways before it arrives at the point where it makes a directive. There may be something in the pipeline somewhere for discussion, but at present EC Directive 219 of 1987, required that with effect from 1 January 1989, not 12 months ago, the sulphur content of gas oil marketed within the State must not exceed the 0.3 per cent I have mentioned. Regulations introduced by the Minister for the Environment in June 1989 gave effect to that Council directive.

Can the Minister assure us he will support the pending reductions in sulphur contents?

Yes, by all means.

When they are introduced next year will he be supportive of the reductions?

I would be supportive of reductions, but I would have to consider the implications carefully. It should be possible for Ireland to move down to 0.2 per cent. It might be difficult for us to go any lower than that. I am not too sure what the position is in the other member states.