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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Mar 1969

Vol. 239 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Merchandise Licences.

3.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the number of lorry owners residing in County Kerry who have been the holders of merchandise licences for years but are only entitled to haul goods for reward within a radius of ten miles from Tralee GPO; and that when Kerry business concerns require the services of lorries to supplement their own transport they have to engage lorries from outside the county; and if in view of this he will now consider granting these licence holders an extension so they can be engaged by Kerry business concerns in the future.

Under the Road Transport Act, 1933, certain areas were exempted from the restrictions on the carriage of merchandise for reward. The Transport Act, 1944, terminated the exemption in respect of a number of areas, including the area within a ten mile radius of the principal post office in Tralee, and made provision for the grant of merchandise licences to persons who had previously performed haulage for reward in those areas, to enable them to continue in their business. The licences referred to by the Deputy were issued under the provision mentioned and authorise the holders to operate in the area in which they had lawfully operated in the prelicensing period. Under the relevant statutory provisions, I have no power to authorise any general extension of the operation of such licences.

As the House is already aware, I have established a study group to examine the desirability or otherwise of general long-term measures to liberalise road freight haulage for reward.

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