asked the Minister for Supplies if he will state the several areas in which a monopoly of road freight traffic has been given to the Great Southern Railways Company and the total number of (a) individual hauliers, and (b) privately-owned lorries affected by the concentration of road haulage in the hands of the Great Southern Railways.
Written Answers. - Road Traffic Monopoly.
I would refer the Deputy to the replies given by me on the 4th November last and the 17th February, regarding the operation of the reorganised transport services in certain areas. A monopoly of road transport has not been given in any area to the Great Southern Railways Company.
The areas in which a reorganisation has been put into effect are County Mayo, County Galway, County Sligo, and portion of County Leitrim, north of a line running from Carrigallen to Dromod; part of County Longford west of a line joining Dromod, Longford town and Lanesboro'; parts of the Counties Westmeath, Offaly, Leix and Tipperary west of a line from Athlone to Tullamore to a point approximately three miles west of Mountmellick; thence to Clonaslee, Kinnity, Roscrea, Moneygall, Toomevara and Silvermines to the Shannon at a point approximately three miles north of Killaloe. In addition, as from the 1st February, controlled transport has been initiated in the Counties Clare, Limerick and Kerry. Individual licensed and exempt area hauliers are not affected by the reorganisation of transport. For the Deputy's information, I would state that 234 such hauliers are now operatting in these areas.
The number of privately-owned lorries which has been eliminated in the areas now under control totals 842. A number of these vehicles have, however, been hired from time to time to cater for seasonal traffic.