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Call for fuel-smuggling crackdown Talks stall on THE IRHA has
Page 8
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called for tighter control of rebated agricultural diesel in a pre-Budget submission to the Finance Minister.
Widespread availability of the diesel is making fortunes for smugglers on either side of the Irish border, claims 1RHA spokesman Jimmy Quinn. "There are more oil millionaires in that part of Ireland than in the state of Texas," he says. He spoke as news broke of yet another discovery of a diesel laundering plant on the southern side of the border.
Acid is added to rebated agricultural oil to remove the coloured dye. The `washed' fuel is then sold at pumps as legitimate diesel, but the acid residue will eventually destroy engines using it.To end the practice. the IRHA wants a quota system to be introduced on distribution of the fuel to farmers, based on a farm's acreage. -Once the quota is used up, the farm could buy its extra supplies at normal prices," says Quinn.
Customs say they believe the seized plant was operating for nine months. Set up in derelict buildings at Castleblayney, its laundered product was sold as far south as Cork and Kerry. Customs seized a tanker,oil, and storage tanks.
• The Irish Budget will be announced next month, but on 13 November it was announced that 11 new road projects are to get under way next year, with nearly 61.3bn earmarked for motorway and dual-carriageway construction. A 2"/0 increase of €21m has also been announced for Department of Transport funding by the Finance Minister.