asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he will indicate the policy of the Government in regard to the reports of the commission which inquired into the matter of public transport.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Transport Policy.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a question by Deputy Davin on 5th February last in which it was indicated that the recommendations contained in the reports presented by the Transport Tribunal were under examination in the light of the prevailing abnormal conditions. I am not in a position to state what action, if any, the Government will consider it desirable to take on the recommendations.
In view of the fact that the tribunal was set up in December, 1938, with a request by the Minister to bring in a report in two months, will he say what he and his predecessor, and his colleagues in the Government have been doing in connection with consideration of the report for the last 18 months?
As the Deputy may be aware a European war has broken out in the meantime and it has changed the situation. The recommendations are not now relevant.
Does the Minister tell the House and the country that we have a more efficient transport system to-day than we had in 1938?
The recommendations of the report were mainly directed towards the possibility of diverting to the railways a larger proportion of the traffic available. I am sure no Deputy believes that there is any problem of diverting traffic to the railways at the present time.
Does the Minister remember the statement he made at one time that it was the policy of the Fianna Fáil Government to bring into operation a system of public ownership of transport?
That is much too wide a question to debate now.