asked the Minister for Transport and Power if in the event of the closing of the railway to West Cork by Córas Iompair Éireann he will grant sufficient licences to private hauliers to cater for the needs of the people, thereby creating healthy competition in road transport.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Private Hauliers Licences in West Cork.
28.
Under the provisions of the Transport Acts, new merchandise licences or extensions to existing licences may be granted only where transport facilities in any area are inadequate and where I am of the opinion that the required facilities can be provided more effectively and conveniently by a person other than an authorised (merchandise carrying) company, that is to say, C.I.E. in this case.
As C.I.E. propose to provide adequate and satisfactory substitute road services following the closing of the West Cork rail line, the need for new merchandise licences in the area does not arise.
In the event of the closing down of the West Cork railway line, can the Minister give an assurance that the same rates will exist as exist now on the railway service?
C.I.E. have already given an indication that the substitute services will be conducted, taking it large and wide, at no greater rates.
Does the Minister consider it just to give a monopoly now to C.I.E., a business that has failed in its objective up to the present time?
Surely there is no monopoly. There are some 40,000 private vehicles in county Cork and of the total of 950 merchandise licences in force, 20 per cent. are based on county Cork and of the 600 licensees who are allowed to carry general merchandise, 250 operate in the whole or some parts of county Cork.
In view of the chaos that occurred at Kenmare on the occasion of the fair last week when there was inadequate transport to convey the cattle formerly carried by rail, will the Minister now ensure that the substitute services for the West Cork railway line will not be of such a meagre character that such incidents will arise also in that area?
Since the closing of that line, I have not had any complaints of any magnitude in regard to the substitute services. If the Deputy draws the attention of C.I.E. to the incidents he alleges took place, they will take suitable action, if it is needed.
The situation is, as reported in the daily Press, that farmers had to stand over their cattle until 10.30 at night awaiting sufficient transport to convey them from the location of the sale.
In my experience, from the very few complaints I have had—I should not think they total more than half a dozen since I became Minister—complaints in regard to the removal of cattle were found to be unfounded or C.I.E. promptly took the right kind of steps to put the matter right in future.
Does the Minister consider that the complaint from the Kerry Committee of Agriculture on this question is not one of magnitude? Does not the Minister appreciate that the Kerry Committee of Agriculture represents the agricultural interests in that county? Surely such a complaint from the Kerry Committee of Agriculture is bound to be one of magnitude?
I did not say that the complaint was not one of magnitude. What I said was that, in my experience, under the Transport Acts in general, I have no need to intervene in the ordinary way because C.I.E. deals effectively with such complaints, whether they are of great magnitude or otherwise.
Will the Minister indicate what powers or functions, if any, he has as Minister for Transport and Power?
I have already made a very clear statement in regard to that in the Dáil.
Is the Minister aware that it will take over 100 lorries to transport the cattle from the main fairs of Bantry and that C.I.E. will not be equipped with those vehicles on those fair days in West Cork?
Question No. 29.