andMr. O'Donnell asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the nature and implications for CIE of the recently agreed EEC Regulation on uniform costing principles for railway undertakings and when it will take effect.
Written Answers. - EEC Railway Regulation.
258.
Uniform costing principles for railway undertakings, as established by EEC Regulation No. 2183/78, apply to international rail freight transport in full train loads with effect from 1 January 1979. The calculation of costs is to be based primarily on the principle of variable costs. There is also provision for calculating costs on a total cost basis and for the exchange of information in relation to costs between the participating undertakings on a confidential basis.
As CIE's rail freight traffic to Northern Ireland is marketed entirely by CIE, it is not regarded as international traffic for the purposes of the regulation which does not, therefore, have any practical impact on CIE.