asked the Minister for Transport the type of trucks used in Ireland on which tachographs must be fitted.
Written Answers. - Truck Tachographs.
486.
Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1463/70, as amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1787/73 and Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2828/77, prescribes the installation and use of tachographs in road passenger and freight vehicles throughout the member states of the European Economic Community. This regulation is implemented in Ireland by the European Communities (Road Transport) (Recording Equipment) Regulations, 1979 (S.I. No. 214 of 1979) and the European Communities (Road Transport) (Exemptions) Regulations, 1980 (S.I. No. 390 of 1980).
The Council regulation prescribes the installation and use of tachographs in the following vehicles: (a) goods vehicles which have a permissible maximum weight, including any trailer or semi-trailer, of more than 3.5 metric tons; and (b) passenger vehicles, except those on regular services.
Within these broad categories, the following are exempt from the EEC tachograph requirements for both national and international journeys: (1) vehicles which in construction and equipment are suitable for carrying not more than nine persons including the driver and are intended for that purpose; (2) vehicles used by the police, gendarmerie, armed forces, fire brigades, civil defence, drainage or flood prevention authorities, water, gas or electricity services, highway authorities and refuse collection, telegraph or telephone services, by the postal authorities for the carriage of mail, by radio or television services or for the detection of radio or television transmitters or receivers, or vehicles which are used by other public authorities for public services and which are not in competition with professional road hauliers; (3) vehicles used for the carriage of sick or injured persons and for carrying rescue material, and any other specialised vehicles used for medical purposes; (4) tractors with a maximum authorised speed not exceeding 30 kilometres per hour; (5) tractors and other machines used exclusively for local agricultural and forestry work; (6) vehicles used to transport circus and fun-fair equipment; (7) specialised breakdown vehicles.
In addition, the following vehicles are exempt when operating within the State for the purposes stated: (i) passenger vehicles which are constructed and equipped to carry not more than 15 persons including the driver; (ii) vehicles undergoing local road tests for purposes of repair or maintainance; (iii) vehicles transporting live animals from farms to local markets and vice versa, and vehicles transporting animal carcasses or waste not intended for human consumption; (iv) specialised vehicles used at local markets, for door-to-door selling, for mobile banking, exchange or savings transactions, for purposes of worship, for the lending of books, records or cassettes, for cultural events or mobile exhibitions.
I should add, of course, that the detailed interpretation of the legislation is a matter for the courts.