asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware (a) of the hardship imposed on lorry owners in the South Kerry area who were formerly employed on the turf scheme, by reason of their being refused merchandise licences by his Department under existing regulations; (b) that the Kerry County Council could not employ these lorries for hauling road material and has to get motor vehicles from outside the county to do this work at considerable expense; and, if so, whether he is prepared to issue merchandise licences to these lorry owners for this and other purposes so as to provide them with employment locally.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Licences for Lorry Owners.
The responsibility for making provision to meet the demand for transport services has been placed by the Transport Act, 1950, on the Board of Córas Iompair Éireann. I am informed by the board that they are in a position to provide any transport required by the Kerry County Council. Having regard to the financial difficulties of Córas Iompair Éireann and considerations of transport policy generally it would not be possible to contemplate granting merchandise licences to the large number of lorry owners who had been engaged in turf transport during the emergency. The Deputy is no doubt aware that there is now available work on turf transport in the South Kerry area for a number of lorry owners.
In North Cork constituency, which is adjacent to my constituency, the number of merchandise licences is 53 as compared with 11 for South Kerry. Would the Minister not agree that that is a matter which requires some adjustment? It is very unfair that we in South Kerry must employ men from another county to work for the Kerry County Council and for other concerns. Merchandise licences in my constituency are limited to a 12-mile radius from Tralee, whereas in Dublin they have a 25-mile radius. In other cities throughout the country the radius is from 20 to 25 miles. Our people who are in possession of merchandise licences are confined to a 12-mile radius from a given point.
Would the Minister request Bord na Móna to give preference to lorry owners who are turf producers in the haulage of turf?
That is another question. So far as South Kerry is concerned, if I had evidence of inadequate transport facilities in any part of it I would look into the matter. The Deputy's proposal goes further than that and, if adopted, would have to be applied to other areas besides South Kerry.
Why not do away with this licensing system altogether which is very unfair?
You can do away with Córas Iompair Éireann and the Great Northern Railway also.