asked the Minister for Transport and Power if any bilateral road haulage agreements have been negotiated with other countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Haulage.
20.
Bilateral road haulage agreements have not as yet been concluded by Ireland with any other country. Negotiations are, however, in progress with a number of other member states of the EEC with a view to the conclusion of agreements relating to licensing arrangements for international road haulage.
Can the Minister say when these negotiations will be completed and what the outcome will be?
I think it will be satisfactory. When the negotiations will be completed the agreements will vary from country to country. We are at the moment discussing it with France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. I think the French one is the most advanced. We are still in contact with them and that will probably be the first one.
Could the Minister state if the rights of existing hauliers here will be fully protected?
That is an extension of the question, but they will be protected.
21.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if all the multilateral EEC road haulage licences have been allocated; and if they are all being utilised.
Ireland received 50 authorisations for 1975 under the community quota licensing system for the international carriage of goods by road for reward throughout the Community. All of these authorisations were allocated in December and January last to those applicants who, in my view, had demonstrated that they were so equipped and organised as to make the greatest use of the authorisations.
Within the last few weeks one haulage firm, which held two authorisations, advised me that for economic reasons it had no further use for the authorisations. The two authorisations have been returned to my Department and will be reallocated to other hauliers at an early date.
The remaining 48 authorisations are all being fully utilised.
Is it the Minister's intention to pursue further the increase in the number of licences?
There will be a meeting of the EEC Ministers of Transport next month but I think the increase in the number of licences will come up at a later meeting. There will be an assessment of whether or not more licences should be issued to the whole Community.
Will it be the Minister's intention to fight for more?
Yes.
22.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the fact that in January 1974 the European Conference of Ministers for Transport introduced a licensing system for multilateral road haulage and for the awarding between member states of the ECMT and that Ireland was granted a quota of 13 licences for that year, he will indicate whether any increase on that number has been achieved; the increases in licences that have been granted to other countries; and the basis on which these licences are distributed between Irish licensed hauliers.
The ECMT multilateral licensing scheme was introduced with effect from 1st January, 1974, on a trial basis for the 3-year period ending 31st December, 1976.
The scheme, which covers 18 countries, provided for an allocation of 385 licences, of which Ireland received 13.
There is no provision in the scheme for an increase in the number of licences granted to any country during the 3-year trial period.
The licences were distributed to those licensed hauliers who, in my view, demonstrated that they were so equipped and organised as to make the greatest use of the licences.
Is the Minister satisfied that 13 is sufficient for those kind of licences?
That is what we got. I would have liked more but that was our allocation within the 385 issued.
Is there no way the Minister can at the conference in Brussels in the near future look for an increase in that number?
These are different licences and they do not come up until the end of the next year. There will be no increase in that number until the end of 1976, that is from 1977 on.
Has the Minister made the authorities aware that we are not satisfied with the number of licences issued?
Yes. When the negotiations were going on for the dividing up of the 385 we said we thought we were entitled to more and this is what we got. This is only a trial period of three years and it will not be coming up again for revision until the end of 1976.
Question No. 23.
How many applications were in for those 13?
I have not got that information but I can find out and let the Deputy have it.
Next question please.
I would like to have that information as well. The basis of the allocations is what concerns me and I would like to get the information as to the number of applicants if the Minister will communicate with me.
I will do that.