Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We must distinguish between what may have occurred as a result of negligence and what may have occurred as a result of fraud. In the test carried out by the Revenue Commissioners in the State Laboratory, 345 samples were tested.

Only in two samples is there clear evidence of petrol stretching as defined. There is no economic point or any economic advantage in mixing diesel with petrol, yet in many of the samples the petrol is contaminated by diesel. That is not petrol stretching. Something happened in the supply chain which caused the adulteration or the contamination, but there is no profit margin or motive in that. Revenue are examining to see if there is some kind of connection with tax, but it is not quite clear that there is a connection.

There is no doubt that something happened and that damage was caused to many individuals' cars, but there is not evidence that there was widespread petrol stretching as defined. There was wide spread contamination of petrol, but with diesel and not with a low-excise product to allow profit.

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