68.— (1) Subject to subsection (4), the Minister shall prepare a contingency plan (in this Act referred to as the "Oil Emergency Plan"), to be implemented in the event of an oil supply disruption.

(2) The Agency, each oil company and oil consumer, and such public bodies as the Minister considers appropriate, shall assist and co‑operate with the Minister in the preparation of the Oil Emergency Plan and the response to, an oil supply disruption.

(3) The Agency and each oil company and oil consumer shall, if so directed by the Minister, furnish to the Minister such information as he or she may require in respect of the preparation of the Oil Emergency Plan and response to an oil supply disruption.

(4) The Oil Emergency Plan shall include:

(a) such measures as the Minister considers appropriate to provide for mitigation against and preparedness for an oil supply disruption, including in relation to the maintenance of oil stocks in accordance with section 32;

(b) measures to monitor the availability of petroleum products in the State;

(c) procedures for consultation between the Minister, such public bodies as the Minister considers appropriate, the Agency and oil companies and oil consumers in relation to the implementation of the Oil Emergency Plan;

(d) procedures for the timely release of oil stocks by the Minister where section 35 applies;

(e) such measures, including in relation to the consumption of road transport fuel, to conserve petroleum products as the Minister, following consultation with such public bodies as the Minister considers appropriate, may determine;

(f) such measures as the Minister considers appropriate to ensure that supplies of petroleum products to such entities as are deemed by the Minister, following consultation with such other Ministers as the Minister considers appropriate, to be providing a critical service in the State are, in so far as practicable, protected.

(5) The Minister shall, when preparing the Oil Emergency Plan, have regard to Article 20 of the Council Directive.

(6) The Minister may, from time to time, review the Oil Emergency Plan and, as he or she considers necessary, prepare a new Oil Emergency Plan.]