Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The Irish oil industry is fully privatised, liberalised and deregulated with free entry into the market. Prices at the pump reflect global market price, transportation costs, euro-dollar fluctuations and other operating costs. Neither my Department nor the Government has any role in the control of oil prices.

The Government has no plans to introduce measures on transport fuel prices, given the fully liberalised nature of the market and the roles and responsibilities of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. The Competition Authority is a statutory independent body with a specific role in the enforcement of competition law. The National Consumer Agency has specific responsibilities for protecting the rights of consumers. Its function is to ensure competition works optimally for the benefit of consumers.

Ireland's high dependence on imported oil makes us price-takers, sensitive to the volatility of the markets and reflecting the combination of world prices and the relative strength of the euro against the dollar. It is bad for competitiveness and exposes us to security of supply risks. It is also unsustainable in environmental terms and climate change.

Addressing our dependence on fossil fuel imports must be a key priority. The Government has committed to a range of actions in the energy policy framework and the programme for Government to break that dependency. In addition to accelerating the deployment of renewable energy in electricity, transport and heating, the implementation of wide-ranging energy efficiency and demand management programmes are the major immediate priority. The roll-out of the national energy efficiency action plan in the coming months will set out the Government's measures and programmes in detail.

The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, will finalise the sustainable travel and transport action plan later this year, informed by the recently launched public consultation process. I am working with him and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to deliver a sustainable energy future across all sectors, including the transport sector. Improved public transport sustainable infrastructure, radical energy efficiency and demand management strategies are key to achieving a sustainable transport future for citizens and the economy.

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