asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether, in view of the serious injury to the interests of public transport companies and licensed hauliers, and to traders who decline to be a party to illegal practices, in the conduct of their transport business, and of the large number of prosecutions arising from infringements of the Road Transport Act, 1933, and subsequent Acts, and in particular of the methods of evasion of the law as revealed in the hearing of these cases, he will cause such inquiries to be made as will enable him to ascertain the extent of such illegalities with a view to the provision of such remedies as he may think fit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Transport Act Infringements.
Existing road transport legislation provides remedies by way of penalty for any infringements thereof and it is probably true to say that the number of prosecutions affords an indication of the extent to which illegalities are committed. In this connection the following figures are very significant:—
|
Year |
Total No. of Prosecutions |
Convictions |
Probation of Offenders Act applied |
Dismissals |
|
1936 |
968 |
740 |
110 |
118 |
|
1937 |
520 |
180 |
201 |
139 |
|
1938 |
772 |
329 |
307 |
136 |
|
1939 |
555 |
277 |
148 |
130 |
|
1940(to end of Sept.) |
244 |
130 |
60 |
54 |
|
TOTALS |
3,059 |
1,656 |
826 |
577 |
The necessity for any further legislation dealing with this matter is under consideration.