Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We should be stocking 90 days of fuel reserves like we are supposed to do as part of the International Energy Agency. Instead, we only have 36 days of petrol and 32 days of diesel. Now, that has been an issue for as long as I've been in the parliament. Successive governments have not had the 90 days of fuel reserves. I've got to say, actually this government has had a higher rate. I think we went down to 27 days under the previous government.

I first spoke about this in 2017, whether it's been questions, whether it's been letters to ministers over successive governments and look where we are today. We have communities who are fearful of running out of fuel, and that's resulted in a massive spike in demand and sharp prices. If we had the 90 days of fuel reserves, I don't think we would have had as much fear from people in our communities, particularly in regional communities like mine. We can't just get on a bus, we can't just get on a train and we can't just not put diesel in our tractors. We have Vintage coming up—it is really getting away—next week and we are really concerned. This must be a timely reminder for the future. We must ensure that our island nation has 90 days of fuel reserve onshore.