asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware that the proposed new regulations governing cross-border transport and vehicles which were drawn up in accordance with EEC policy were announced first in the Press; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Transport Regulations.
41.
The measure to which the Deputy refers is the EEC Council directive of 4th March, 1974, which amends earlier Council directives on the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road between EEC member states. The directive in question came into operation in Ireland on 1st July, 1974, and the Press notice to which the Deputy refers was intended to owners the attention of hauliers and owners of goods vehicles to this fact.
The Second Report on Developments in the European Communities, which was the subject of a debate in Dáil Éireann on 29th November, 1973 and 28th February, 1974, contained a reference to the fact that an amending directive was under consideration. The amending directive was included in the 28th March, 1974, issue of the Official Journal of the European Communities, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library and the Joint Committee on the Secondary Legislation of the European Communities was formally notified by my Department on 29th March, 1974, that agreement had been reached on the terms of the amending directive.
The Third Report on Developments in the European Communities, which will be published shortly, will contain details of the amending directive.