asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that goods heretofore carried by private carriers for country traders from Messrs. Arthur Guinness and Son are now diverted for carriage to Córas Iompair Éireann, thereby involving further congestion on the railway, with consequent delay and inconvenience in delivery; and, if so, if he will state whether any direction or request has been made by his Department to Messrs. Arthur Guinness to transfer such goods for transport to the railway company; and, if so, whether he has considered the wastage in transport resulting from private lorries, delivering live stock and other commodities to Dublin, having to return empty, and the inconvenience and loss to traders because of unreasonable delay; and if he will take steps to have the necessary readjustments made with a view to utilising all transport to the best advantage.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Diversion of Traffic to Railways.
It is within the discretion of individual firms to consign their goods by the method of public transport which they consider gives them the best service. As no direction or request has been made by my Department to Messrs. Arthur Guinness, the last part of the Deputy's question does not arise.
Will the Minister consider a situation in which I meet, coming from Ballaghaderreen to Dublin, dozens of empty turf lorries returning to the West of Ireland, while at the same time consignments of goods from firms in Dublin are held up for as long as three weeks for the want of wagons? Will he consider the possibility of co-ordinating the return of these turf wagons so as to carry at least some such bulky traffic as flour or Guinness's stout, or commodities of that character, which could be easily and expeditiously loaded?
That seems to be an entirely different question.
It is a different question.
But there is reference here in this question to the return of empty lorries. Why should not these empty lorries, travelling 100 or 150 miles to the West of Ireland, carry down bulky merchandise, which would not take very long to load? It obviously could not be asked to take small packets, because the process of accumulating them would take too long. But these vehicles pass Guinness's on the way out and they could take up a load in a quarter of an hour.
Does the Minister not appreciate that that is a condition that obtains generally all over the country—that there are empty lorries returning to the country after delivering live stock and other commodities in Dublin?
I do not see how it would be possible to use privately-owned lorries for the purpose of carrying goods consigned to be carried by the railway company.
But Córas Iompair Éireann has objected to lorries returning empty and why should these particular lorries be prevented from taking up loads of commodities here in Dublin and carrying them to merchants in the West of Ireland? Will the Minister say, if any individual merchant makes an arrangement with a lorry coming to Dublin to deliver turf to take, on the return journey, commodities which would not require more than 30 minutes to load, that he would insist on there being no interference with the discretion of the lorry owner to discharge that task?
No, quite the reverse. Nobody is entitled to carry goods for reward unless he is the holder of a licence.
And there is no possibility of granting such a licence so as to permit these empty lorries to convey commodities to merchants in the country, particularly at a time when traffic is in such a condition of chaos?
No possibility at the present time.
The impression has been given to carriers that the Minister's Department has intervened in this matter.
That impression is incorrect.
The Minister categorically denies that?
It is not correct.
The position at the moment is that merchants in the country have to wait three weeks for a consignment of commodities from the city, while every day empty lorries returning from Dublin are passing their doors.