asked the Minister for Transport and Power if in view of the increased freight charges which farmers and people in the cattle trade have to bear arising out of recent decisions by the British and Irish Steampacket Company he will now abolish the existing restrictions on the haulage of livestock in this country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Livestock Haulage Restrictions.
10.
I decided last December to extend the scope of operation of any existing carrier merchandise licence which permits carriage within a restricted area, so as to authorise carriage operations throughout the State. Under this concession over 700 hauliers, excluding over 100 who are already authorised for State-wide livestock carriage, are entitled to have their licences extended for country wide carriage of livestock and to date over 520 have availed themselves of this concession.
I recently set up a study group to examine the desirability or otherwise of general long-term measures to liberalise haulage for reward. I have directed the group to give urgent priority to consideration of the livestock question and I hope to have their recommendations within a very short time; I will then be able to consider what, if any, further action I should take.
The Minister is fully aware of the very undesirable position that exists. The people who, in the main, are doing cattle haulage are running into corners hiding away from the Garda Síochána. CIE do approximately three per cent of the total haulage. Could the Minister explain why he is so reluctant to clear up this situation, a situation to which everybody in the trade is opposed?
The Deputy will be aware that CIE reduced their charges for cattle recently in order to get more traffic. We have already taken a number of steps, as the Deputy knows, to relieve the situation, including the plating of private vehicles and having licensed carriers at fairs and marts. There is also the question of the viability of the position in which licensed carriers would find themselves if there were complete liberalisation. All this, as well as the position of CIE, has to be examined. I hope we will find a satisfactory solution. I agree the position needs to be considered very urgently, but the fact is there are undoubted evasions of the law and there have been prosecutions.
Is it not the present position that CIE is, in fact, a licensing authority on its own and, if a man rings up from a particular area and says he cannot get a CIE truck, CIE can license a local carrier to do the work?
That is so.
That is surely undesirable.
The Deputy will be aware that there is a very large number of licensed carriers. The question is whether they and CIE together can operate the livestock haulage business satisfactorily or whether something more needs to be done. The Deputy must be aware there are 1,000 licensed carriers in the country, of whom 520 have availed of this livestock licence in addition to the 100 who already had such a licence.
Is it not a fact that no new licence has issued since 1932? We now have the additional difficulty created as a result of the B & I decision.
We also agreed to enlarge the trucks, which should make for more efficiency.
I agree, but the position is not satisfactory from anybody's point of view.