Cork advocate for the elderly Paddy O’Brien has called for petrol pump attendants to be employed by petrol stations again, saying older people find it difficult to do the task themselves.
Speaking to The Echo, Mr O’Brien said staff members who worked outside the petrol station and would put the petrol or diesel into the car for customers used to be a common sight.
“But it’s been years since I’ve seen one in Cork city. Removing the petrol cover from the car can be very difficult for older people who might be frail,” said Mr O’Brien.
He said that in the absence of a dedicated staff member, some people are having to ask other people to do it for them.
“People will say that they just ask a man who drives into the petrol station, and that can be a huge embarrassment,”
he said.
Mr O’Brien said elderly people can often struggle to lift the bonnet of their car if an oil change is needed.
He said that things like this can really limit older people’s freedom, and that he is aware of older people in Cork who avoid using their cars because they consider going to get fuel an ordeal.
Mr O’Brien said this can prohibit them from going to the shops, to appointments or to social events, and keep them at home instead.
He suggested, in light of prices at petrol stations continuing to increase, there should be sufficient revenue available to hire one or two attendants to assist those who need assistance, and encouraged Cork politicians to take up the issue.
“I can’t understand why I have never heard this issue raised before,” said Mr O’Brien.