asked the Minister for Transport and Power if the European Commission have made a proposal that railways would have to base their fares on operating costs; and, if so, if he will indicate his attitude to this proposal and its likely effect on CIE operations.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Railway Fares.
27.
I understand that the Council of Ministers of the EEC at its meeting on 3rd December, 1971, adopted a programme of action on the future development of a common transport policy. Included in this programme, for consideration during 1972, are a number of proposals designed to give financial and managerial autonomy to railway companies. I assume that these are the proposals to which the Deputy is referring.
Details of the proposals are not yet available and it is not possible, therefore, to make any assessment at this stage of their likely effect on CIE operations.
Under the procedure for joint consultation agreed between the Community and the applicant states, my Department will be consulted about these proposals in due course and it will then be open to us to make any representations in the matter we consider necessary.
Does the Minister not agree that this results from a different type of train robbery?