John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 73a:

In page 22, to delete line 28 and substitute the following:

"(a) the contract provides for an agreed volume of petroleum products owned by the oil consumer to be so held by the other person for the purpose of a claim by the oil consumer for exemption from levy under this section, and".

This amendment arises as a consequence of proposed amendments to section 62. It will provide for consideration by the Minister of applications by oil consumers for exemptions from levy payment on the basis of a contract being in place between an oil consumer and a third party for the storage by the third party of specific volumes of oil owned by the oil consumer. While it is accepted that oil consumers will generally have adequate storage facilities for volumes of oil to allow them to claim exemption from levy payment on an ongoing basis, nevertheless I acknowledge that storage problems may arise from time to time where, for example, a company must temporarily decommission storage tanks to allow for refurbishment. The provision will facilitate oil consumers who find themselves in such a situation and will strengthen the Minister's powers in regard to the assessment of applications by oil consumers for exemption from the levy payment.

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