Terry Brennan (Fine Gael)

I support my colleague, Senator Quinn, on the issue he raised. I can confirm for the Senator that diesel laundering is happening not only in my constituency. It is an issue in the entire Border region and it is expanding south. It is being distributed practically throughout the top half of our country. It is a major issue. Senator Quinn mentioned the question of loss of revenue to the economy and the fines imposed but the fines are minuscule. A fine of €3,000 and €4,000 and the closing of a business for a day for some of these distributors is minuscule. It is a pittance. It should be examined. It is a major problem and one about which I am very concerned. There are legitimate businesses in every county along the Border and they are losing out greatly.

My question to the Leader is how we solve this. I have read about this and it has arisen in the Seanad and Dáil previously. I ask the question, and perhaps it is a stupid one, about the implications for the country and for the farming community in particular if we were to have only one type of diesel. The farming community could apply for a rebate every three to six months or annually. Why have two types of diesel in the first instance? I do not expect the Leader to answer that question today. I am sure somebody has asked that question previously in one or other of these Houses of Parliament. What not have only one type of diesel and thereby eliminate all this diesel laundering?