asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the functions and terms of reference of the recently appointed Transport Council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Transport Council.
11.
The Transport Consultative Commission which I recently established gives effect to a commitment made in the Government's pre-election manifesto.
The commission's terms of reference are as follows:
To examine and report on the measures necessary to achieve the most efficient and economical transport system for goods and passengers having regard to the need to maintain a flexible competitive transport system—thereby ensuring the facilities necessary for industrial development through the country as a whole.
In the light of the terms of reference, I would expect the commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the present transport system for passengers and goods and to make recommendations to me on any changes in transport policy which they consider appropriate.
The commission's terms of reference are fairly broad and, in view of the very wide range of issues in the transport sphere, I felt it desirable to give the commission some indication of what I saw as the priority items for examination. Accordingly, when I addressed the members of the commission at their first meeting on 21 September 1978, I gave them a broad outline of the particular transport areas to which I would wish the commission to accord priority.
So that details of my address to the commission will be available to Deputies, I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Dáil Library.
Could the Minister say whether the broad terms of reference of this commission include a very important and very urgent one? Have they responsibility for formulating a national transportation strategy? Does that come within their terms of reference?
The guidelines I gave them relate to urban passenger services, particularly in Dublin, mainline rail services, rural and long distance road passenger services and road freight haulage. They have not been told to formulate general policy, but when they have considered the various matters put to them I will have a look at the policy aspects.
Surely the Minister will agree it is a matter of extreme urgency that some attempt should be made to formulate a national transportation strategy. If this commission have not got that function, I respectfully suggest they are only messing with the whole transport scene.
The Deputy can be assured that, under the guidelines I have given them, we will be able to formulate future policy on transport.
In view of the fact that the recommendations the commission may make will be likely to require legislation which will take time, has the Minister set any deadline by which a report must be made by this group? Secondly, has the Minister asked them to give an interim report or just one final report?
I have not fixed a time limit, but I have suggested they might submit interim reports as the study progresses.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I intended to ask the same supplementary. Is it not a fact that, if the Minister has not given any deadline for a report, this is simply putting it on the long finger and shelving it, and we may get a report this year, next year or at some time in the distant future?
No. The commission are very enthusiastic and very anxious to get on with the job. I have no doubt they will present their report within a reasonable time. In reply to Deputy Bruton I said I requested them to submit interim reports and I am sure they will do so.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Does the Minister not think it would have been wiser to have asked them to report within a specified time or by a specified date?
I do not think so. The problem is very broad and I would hope that, as they consider a variety of aspects under the guidelines I have given them, they will come up with interim reports.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is it not the history of these open-ended commissions that we do not get a report within a reasonable time and that they drag on and on?
I do not think so. Something was gained from each of the previous reports and I have no doubt this one will work out similarly.