Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the reason Irish stocks of motor gasoline doubled from their 10 year average in the first month of 2005, to a level of 1.4 million, as reported in the IEA monthly oil market report of 11 March 2005. [11709/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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As a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Ireland is required to maintain emergency oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports in the previous year. In line with IEA rules, member countries' reserves may include industry stocks, in addition to government or agency stocks. Ireland's strategic reserves are made up of a combination of wholly owned and rented stocks held by the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) and of industry stocks. Such stocks may comprise crude oil and specified oil products including gasoline.

Data on the IEA website referred to by the Deputy, includes details of the volumes of gasoline stocks held by Irish industry over a ten year period which, as already stated, are a component of Ireland's oil reserves.

The volumes of crude oil and oil products held at any specific time by Irish oil and consumer companies, including the refinery at Whitegate and the Bantry Oil Storage Terminal, are matters for the companies in question and take account of, inter alia, oil prices and likely trends, commercial considerations and the availability of suitable storage facilities.