asked the Minister for Transport and power the name of the company or individual who was the holder of EEC authorisation number 133 in 1975.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC and ECMT Authorisations.
12.
No such authorisation was allocated by me for 1975.
13.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the names of companies or individuals who were holders of EEC or ECMT authorisations in 1975 and who were not allotted them in 1976; and the number in each case.
As the information is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
PARTICULARS of Holders of EEC/ECMT Multilateral Authorisations for the carriage of goods by road for 1975 who were not granted the same allocations for 1976.
|
Holder |
Allocation |
|||
|
1975 |
1976 |
|||
|
EEC |
ECMT |
EEC |
ECMT |
|
|
Córas Iompair Éireann |
3 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Matthew Galavan Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
2 |
— |
|
Interstate Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
1 |
— |
|
Shamrock International Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Surehaul Ltd. |
2 |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Reindear Shipping Ltd. |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Kelly Continental Ltd. |
1 |
— |
— |
— |
The Minister could at least give me the basic information. I know it might be a long answer but two simple questions were asked and possibly the Minister would read out the answers because they are important in so far as further questions are down to the Minister.
They are not two simple questions as the Deputy alleges. There is a tabular statement in which a number of firms and a number of changes are involved.
But the answers would be relevant to the other questions I have down on the Order Paper. That is why I want the Minister to read out the answer.
Question No. 14.
That is very unfair. I have further questions on the matter and the answer is very important so far as these further questions are concerned.
It is usual to accept a tabular statement.
If the Minister gives me the tabular statement——
It will be circulated with the Official Report.
That is unsatisfactory in so far as I am concerned.
Having some interest in this matter, may I point out that the Minister is acting as if he had something to hide in this regard?
That is nonsense.
Why is the question not answered?
It has been answered as far as I am concerned. I have nothing to hide. These are quite lengthy statements which would occupy a lot of time if they were read out in full. If the Deputy wants information about a specific firm, I will answer the question if he puts it down, but he has asked for a very long piece of information which can only be given in the form of a tabular statement and which will be, as is customary, circulated with the Official Report.
Question No. 14.
14.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the number of EEC and ECMT authorisations granted to Irish hauling companies or individual hauliers by his Department in the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976; the names of the hauliers in each year; and the number of authorisations granted in each case.
As the information is in the form of a tabular statement I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Allocation of Ireland's Quotas of EEC and ECMT Multilateral Authorisations for the carriage of goods by road for 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976.
1973
|
Name of Haulier |
Allocation of EEC Authorisations |
|
|
1st January— 31st March |
1st April— 31st December |
|
|
Córas Iompair Éireann |
8 |
8 |
|
Eurofreight Ireland Ltd. |
4 |
4 |
|
Stafford Transport Ltd. |
2 |
2 |
|
Matthew Galavan Ltd. |
2 |
2 |
|
Mr. Denis Coughlan |
1 |
1 |
|
Messrs. Thomas Dunne & Sons |
1 |
1 |
|
Mr. Brian Caffrey |
1 |
1 |
|
Messrs. Gilbert Haulage |
1 |
1 |
|
Camac Transport Co. Ltd. |
— |
1 |
|
Artic Transport Ltd. |
— |
1 |
|
Eurofrigo Ireland Ltd. |
— |
1 |
|
Total |
20 |
23 |
NOTE: The ECMT scheme did not commence until 1st January, 1974.
1974
|
Name of Hauiler |
Allocation |
||
|
EEC |
ECMT |
||
|
1st January— 30th June |
1st July— 31st December |
||
|
Córas Iompair Éireann |
5 |
7 |
3(b) |
|
Eurofreight Ireland Ltd. |
4 |
4 |
1 |
|
Stafford Transport Ltd. |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
Matthew Galavan Ltd. |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
Mr. Denis Coughlan |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Messrs. Thomas Dunne & Sons |
1 |
2 |
— |
|
Mr. Brian Caffrey |
1 |
1 |
— |
|
Messrs. Gilbert Haulage |
1 |
1 |
— |
|
Artic Transport Ltd. |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Camac Transport Co. Ltd. |
1 |
1 |
— |
|
Interstate Transport Ltd. |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Surehaul Ltd. |
1 |
2 |
— |
|
Ferrywagon Ltd. |
1(a) |
— |
— |
|
Eirhaul Ltd. |
1 |
3 |
— |
|
Shamrock International Transport Ltd. |
1 |
2 |
— |
|
Massfreight Ltd. |
1 |
2 |
— |
|
Maguire Transport Ltd. |
1 |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. D.F. Kennedy |
— |
1 |
1 |
|
Shenandoah International Ltd. |
— |
— |
1(b) |
|
Mr. Liam Tarrant |
— |
— |
1(b) |
|
Transcontinental Refrigeration Ltd. |
— |
— |
1 |
|
Eurofrigo Ireland Ltd. |
—(a) |
3 |
— |
|
Euromerchants Ltd. |
— |
1 |
— |
|
Messrs. O'Neill Bros. |
— |
1 |
— |
|
Richard Morris Ltd. |
— |
1 |
— |
|
Tony Heffernan International |
— |
— |
—(b) |
|
Total |
26 |
42 |
13 |
NOTES:
(a)On 20th March, 1974, Ferrywagon Ltd. surrendered the EEC authorisation allocated to them and the authorisation was reallocated to Eurofrigo Ireland Ltd.
(b)On 6th August, 1974 CIE surrendered the three ECMT authorisations allocated to them. The authorisations were reallocated to Shenandoah International Ltd., Mr. Liam Tarrant and Tony Heffernan International.
1975
|
Name of Haulier |
Allocation |
|
|
EEC |
ECMT |
|
|
Eurofreight Ireland Ltd. |
4 |
1 |
|
Córas Iompair Éireann |
3 |
— |
|
Transcontinental Refrigeration Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
|
Camac Transport Co. Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
|
Matthew Galavan Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
|
Eurofrigo Ireland Ltd. |
2(a) |
— |
|
Mr. Brian Caffrey |
2 |
— |
|
Shamrock International Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Interstate Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Mr. Denis Coughlan |
2 |
1 |
|
Surehaul Ltd. |
2 |
— |
|
Eirhaul Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Messrs. Gilbert Haulage |
2 |
— |
|
Artic Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Mr. D.F. Kennedy |
2 |
— |
|
Massfeight Ltd. |
2 |
— |
|
Messrs. Thomas Dunne & Sons |
2 |
— |
|
Mr. Liam Tarrant |
1 |
1 |
|
Messrs. O'Neill Bros. |
1 |
— |
|
Richard Morris Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Euromerchants Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Irish Continental Carriers Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Molloy & Sherry Transport Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. James O'Hara |
1 |
— |
|
Reindear Shipping Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Intercity Trucking |
1 |
— |
|
Kelly Continental Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Shenandoah International Transport Ltd. |
— |
2 |
|
Tony Heffernan International (now T/A Hibernia International Transport Ltd.) |
— |
1 |
|
Stoney Burke Continental Haulage Ltd. |
—(a) |
— |
|
Rosslare Transport |
—(a) |
— |
|
Total |
50 |
13 |
NOTE: (a) On 25th April, 1975 Eurofrigo Ireland Ltd. returned its allocation of two EEC authorisations. The authorisations were reallocated to Stoney Burke Continental Haulage Ltd. and Rosslare Transport.
1976
|
Allocation |
||
|
Name of Haulier |
||
|
EEC |
ECMT |
|
|
Eurofreight Ireland Ltd. |
4 |
1 |
|
Transcontinental Refrigeration Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
|
Camac Transport Co. Ltd. |
3 |
1 |
|
Matthew Galavan Ltd. |
2 |
— |
|
Mr. Brian Caffrey |
2 |
— |
|
Shamrock International Transport Ltd. |
1 |
2 |
|
Interstate Transport Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Denis Coughlan |
2 |
1 |
|
Shenandoah International Ltd. |
— |
2 |
|
Surehaul Ltd. |
1 |
1 |
|
Eirhaul Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Messrs. Gilbert Haulage |
2 |
— |
|
Artic Transport Ltd. |
2 |
1 |
|
Mr. D.F. Kennedy |
2 |
— |
|
Massfreight Ltd. |
2 |
— |
|
Messrs. Thomas Dunne & Sons |
2 |
— |
|
Mr. Liam Tarrant |
1 |
1 |
|
Messrs. O'Neill Bros. |
1 |
— |
|
Richard Morris Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Euromerchants Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Vincent O'Sullivan |
1 |
— |
|
Irish Continental Carriers Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Molloy & Sherry Transport Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. James O'Hara |
1 |
— |
|
Intercity Trucking Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Stoney Burke Continental Haulage Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Rosslare Transport |
1 |
— |
|
Hibernia International Transport Ltd. |
— |
1 |
|
Mr. Seamus Kelly |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Brian Kehoe |
1 |
— |
|
Shertrans International Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Robert M. McKinley |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Sean Sutton |
1 |
— |
|
Steerside International Transport Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Mr. Christopher J. Lucey |
1 |
— |
|
Dillon Bros. (Ballyhaunis) Ltd. |
1 |
— |
|
Total |
50 |
13 |
This is very unfair.
I think when the Deputy sees the tabular statement he will appreciate that it would occupy very much time in the House.
Question No. 15.
15.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power why only two EEC authorisations were granted to a company (name supplied) in County Wexford this year in view of the fact that three EEC and one ECMT authorisations were granted in the years 1974 and 1975.
Ireland received 50 authorisations for 1976 under the EEC Community quota licensing system for the international carriage of goods by road for hire or reward and 13 licences under a similar scheme operated by the European Conference of Ministers of Transport.
The EEC authorisations are valid for transport between the nine member States of the EEC while the ECMT authorisations are valid for transport between 18 countries, namely the nine member States of the EEC and Austria, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Yugoslavia. Both types of authorisation are intended primarily for multilateral transport but bilateral use is not, however, ruled out.
All of the EEC/ECMT authorisations have been allocated to those applicants who, in my view, have demonstrated that they are so equipped and organised as to make the greatest use of the authorisations. In the case of applicants who already held EEC/ECMT authorisations, I also took into account the use made by them of the authorisations.
The company named by the Deputy were allocated three EEC and one ECMT authorisations for 1975. In the covering letters from my Department, which accompanied the authorisations, it was explained to the company that the authorisations would expire on 31st December, 1975, and that the allocation of authorisations for 1975 would not necessarily entitle the holders to authorisations for 1976 and subsequent years.
The company applied in November, 1975, for seven EEC/ECMT authorisations for 1976. The company's application was carefully considered in conjunction with the many other applications received and on the basis of the information furnished in the application, particularly the company's usage for multilateral journeys of their 1975 allocation, the merits of the other applications, which this year were greatly increased in number and the limited number of authorisations available for distribution, I decided to allocate two EEC authorisations to the company for 1976.
I should explain that the bulk of international road transport is dealt with on a bilateral basis and a haulier does not need either EEC or ECMT multilateral authorisations in order to engage in international transport of a bilateral nature. Bilateral permits are, however, usually required for such transport and these can be obtained by hauliers direct from the transport authorities of the countries concerned.
With a view to facilitating Irish hauliers in obtaining bilateral permits, I recently concluded a bilateral road transport agreement with the French authorities. The agreement will enable Irish hauliers to obtain permits to operate to, from and in transit across France direct from my Department instead of from the French authorities as heretofore. The agreement will come into force on 1st March, 1976. My Department are currently negotiating road transport agreements with a number of other EEC countries.
I have the reply the Minister gave here in a letter. His reply now is no different from that which he gave me in a letter a month or six weeks ago.
If the Deputy asked the same question the answer will be the same.
I did not ask the same question. I got the reply in writing. The Minister has not changed his mind in any respect.
We must proceed by way of question and answer.
Is it the policy of the Minister's Department to allow EEC permits to be advertised in the paper for renting?
No.
In the Minister's reply he says that his policy is to give them——
It is not in order to quote at Question Time.
I am only using the Minister's own words. When the Minister talks about applicants who have demonstrated that they are capable of doing this work, how then can they advertise permits for letting?
If the holder of any of those licences advertised them for letting, I would immediately withdraw that licence and institute proceedings against whoever was responsible.
I do not accept the Minister's global answer because I am concerned in this question with a man who was one of the first people to go into EEC haulage business. He had four licences in 1974 and in 1975——
I am anxious to facilitate the Deputy but it must be by way of question and answer.
How can the Minister justify a reduction of two licences in 1976?
When the licences were issued in 1974 or in 1975 it was explained to the holders that it did not necessarily mean when they got those authorisations that they would be given licences in the following year. The person about whom the Deputy is asking a question had four licences for 1975 and during 1975 he made over 200 journeys out of this country, quite a considerable number, but of these only 19 required the use of multilateral licences; the others were all bilateral journeys. I considered four licences to make 19 journeys was more than enough. It might even be argued that two licences to make 19 journeys was more than enough.
16.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power why no EEC or ECMT authorisations were granted to a company (name supplied) in Wexford who are the second largest exporters of beef and mutton in the country this year.
No application for EEC or ECMT authorisations was received from the Wexford company named by the Deputy.
An application was however received from an associated company and this application was given careful consideration in conjunction with the many other applications received. On the basis of the information furnished in the application, the merits of the other applications, which this year were greatly increased in number, and the limited number of authorisations available for distribution, I did not find it possible to allocate any authorisations to the company.
As I have already explained, the bulk of international road transport is dealt with on a bilateral basis and a haulier does not need either EEC or ECMT multilateral authorisations in order to engage in international transport of a bilateral nature. Bilateral permits are however usually required for such transport and these can be obtained by hauliers direct from the transport authorities of the countries concerned.
With a view to facilitating Irish hauliers in obtaining bilateral permits, I recently concluded a bilateral road transport agreement with the French authorities. The agreement will enable Irish hauliers to obtain permits to operate to, from and in transit across France direct from my Department instead of from the French authorities as heretofore. The agreement will come into force on 1st March, 1976. My Department are currently negotiating road transport agreements with a number of other EEC countries.
The Minister admits that he had an application from this firm. Is he aware that this firm is the second biggest exporter of meat in the country? They have 22 containers but the Minister does not consider it worth his while to grant them an EEC authorisation.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy should be good enough to listen to the Minister's reply.
I am afraid the Deputy does not understand multilateral and bilateral agreements. The firm in question do not need a multilateral agreement because they are engaged in point to point transporting, which is covered under bilateral agreements.
Why will the Minister not give one to them?
Because they do not need them.
Why do they not need them?
Because they are engaged in bilateral, not multilateral transport.
Do the bilateral agreements the Minister is referring to cover countries outside the EEC? Do they cover people who had ECMT licences?
Yes. they can apply for bilateral agreement to the Government of the country concerned. We have only one formal agreement signed, that is with the French authorities. However, we are engaged in discussions with other countries to try to set up bilateral agreements with other countries which would have the effect that hauliers in Ireland who want to travel to those countries instead of applying to Bonn, if they want to go to Germany, will be able to get permits from the Department of Transport and Power. It will take some time to negotiate these agreements. The only one negotiated so far is the French agreement.
How are they supposed to get back loads?
They can take back loads.
From one point?
From the point they take the load to.
That is the answer to the question.