Vol. 482 No. 6
12 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Public Enterprise whether the Minister of State at her Department will report on his visit to Brussels to meet Commissioner Kinnock in relation to the French lorry drivers' blockade; if the Commissioner elaborated in private on his public comments that compensations should be paid; and if the Minister of State at her Department will make a statement on this matter. [18994/97]
I met Commissioner Kinnock on Thursday, 6 November 1997 to discuss the French truck dispute. I gave him a comprehensive briefing on the impact the blockades were having both on Irish exports and imports and on the international haulage sector in Ireland.
The question of compensation was discussed arising from the dispute in November 1996 and the recent dispute. Commissioner Kinnock assured me he had pressed the French authorities throughout the year both at meetings and in writing to meet their commitments in relation to compensation. He agreed that the French response to date had not been satisfactory. We also discussed possible alternative approaches to compensation in respect of future disputes.
Will the Minister of State elucidate on the possible alternative approaches to compensation referred to in his reply? Will he agree it is intolerable that hauliers, particularly small hauliers, who were in serious financial difficulty as a result of the dispute one year ago are still awaiting compensation, assessed at £1.1 million? This present difficulty, following the difficulties of a year ago, means that unless the compensation arrangements are clarified reasonably quickly some of those involved could go to the wall. What can we report to those people who are in difficulty and their organisations which will give them hope?
I agree with the sentiments expressed by the Deputy particularly in relation to small operators, the hardship being experienced and the potential hardship for the future. On the question of the amount of compensation claimed, the Deputy refers to a sum of £1.1 million. I am trying to get a handle on this, because I should know and be able to give that information to the Deputy. The first indication was that it would be £6 million and later the figure was £1.1 million. This morning I was advised of a much lower figure, £350,000. These claims which were submitted some weeks ago refer to the difficulties of November 1996. There is some ambiguity and confusion regarding the amount of compensation which ought to be forthcoming following the difficulties in November 1996. We are shoulder to shoulder with the Irish Road Haulage Association in endeavouring to push for settlement of that claim and the claims which will be made following the most recent difficulties.
During the course of the meeting with Commissioner Kinnock I asked about this issue. We discussed two possibilities: that a national compensation fund would be put in place by each member state and that a central fund would be established in Brussels. There were difficulties with both systems but if any legal practical way could be found the Commissioner indicated he would not hesitate to implement it and would endeavour to follow it up. The main problem from the Commissioner's point of view was the vast differences in such disputes from member state to member state. There is also the problem that workers would find it easier to go on strike in the knowledge that a central fund exists to pay compensation. To answer the Deputy's question, alternative measures are being pursued but I emphasise there are difficulties.
Is the Minister of State aware that following the recent meeting between the British and French Prime Ministers a period of three months in which to resolve the compensation issue was mentioned? Will this apply to Irish as well as English hauliers? The Minister of State mentioned different figures which, in discussing the issue of compensation, tend to fluctuate. There is increasing co-operation between the Irish Road Hauliers' Association and its counterparts in Britain and other European countries. Will the Minister of State encourage this because certain heads have been knocked together to ensure there are no discrepancies? To get to Italy drivers had to travel through Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria which caused great inconvenience. The extra costs incurred in toll charges alone amounted to £500. Will the Minister of State ensure this is taken into consideration in assessing the compensation to be paid?
The Deputy made excellent and valid points which were raised in the negotiations. The United Kingdom authorities submitted a large number of claims covering the period of the 1996 dispute, of which only a handful have been paid. The French authorities found petty reasons to return documentation and refuse claims. The Irish claims have been prepared by a United Kingdom firm of solicitors which has taken great care to ensure they are properly documented with supporting evidence. It has learned from the mistakes of other states, particularly the United Kingdom. It is too early to say whether the Irish claims will meet with a more favourable response but they have been submitted in a more efficient and, I hope, expert fashion. The IRHA made the right decision in asking the United Kingdom firm of solicitors to which I referred to prepare claims for submission.
My senior colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, has written to the French Transport Minister expressing appreciation of the work of the French Government in bringing about a speedy settlement to the dispute. She was quick off the mark. Before the blockades were put in place she took the opportunity to speak to her French counterpart. She was in touch with him in writing and by telephone throughout the dispute. Claims for compensation should be satisfactorily settled without delay. The Minister also took the opportunity to ask the Luxembourg Transport Minister to include the compensation issue on the agenda for the December Transport Council.
Is the Minister of State in a position to give the House an estimate of the total losses incurred by Irish business as a result of the most recent blockade? In view of the frequency with which this type of dispute occurs, the disruption it causes and degree to which it compromises the principle of free movement guaranteed by the European treaties did the Minister of State put any suggestions to Commissioner Kinnock whereby the European Union would take more effective action or put mechanisms in place to deal with this type of industrial dispute so that the disruption caused outside the state where the dispute is taking place is minimised?
That is a pertinent question and broadens the subject matter of this question but I am happy to address it. Total daily exports to France are estimated at just under £7 million and perishable goods account for circa £1 million of this. Throughout the week my senior colleague and I kept in close contact with the trade organisations. As a result of the early settlement of the dispute we escaped more serious consequences than would have been the case if the strike had continued into a second week. We are unable to quantify with great accuracy the overall losses incurred.
There is also the human factor which many failed to mention or comprehend from the television pictures of the blockades or messages in the media. It must be remembered that the French appear to have a robust way of doing business. This is the fourth time in two years there have been blockades. Will there be further blockades? Wives and families worry about their dear ones stuck in a blockade, particularly when there is physical violence. That should ring bells and instil a sense of urgency. Life is more precious than commerce or finance. That should spur us on to ensure there is no recurrence.
I am surprised that Question No. 21 in my name has not been taken with this question which is similar.
It is a priority question.
I hope we will reach it.
I doubt if we will. We dealt with this matter in some detail last week by way of private notice question when there were demands to send the Taoiseach and the Minister to France but the Minister of State was sent instead. He obtained a good result. The Taoiseach and Ministers can learn a lesson from this.
A question, please.
Will the Minister of State agree that the reason there are lorries blocking the roads in France where the cost of living is much higher than here is that lorry drivers are paid miserable rates, even by Irish standards? Will he also agree that last year the French Minister gave the Council of Ministers which I attended an absolute undertaking that the matter of compensation would be dealt with centrally and within one month? Will he further agree that this has been welshed on by the French Government by the use of petty bureaucratic trickery? This should not be tolerated within the European Union. It is not just the road haulage sector that suffers in this type of blockade, exporters and manufacturers also suffer. Will the Department assist directly in the compilation of the necessary compensation claims, not just from the road haulage sector which is better organised than most but from the other sectors also?
I agree with the Deputy's comments on the manner in which the French Government and various French organisations dealt with this issue in the past — when their undertakings were not honoured — including the manner in which they dealt with claims for compensation when, to use the Deputy's word, their pettiness was a major factor. One of the problems of the French compensatory scheme is that French law stipulates claims must be referred to the local authority in whose area the loss has been incurred. The requirements of properly documented proof to validate a claim are very onerous, such as tachograph charts, preferably stamped by local police, fuel receipts, ferry tickets and photographs.
I made inquiries at any fora available to me in Brussels. I talked to everybody to obtain as much information as I could about the to deal with these claims. It appears they seek some type of professional witness who will go into court and testify that X truck or lorry driver was held up at a blockade for X period of time and so on, which is very difficult to establish. That is the base from which we are endeavouring to exhort those concerned at all levels to do something constructive by way of processing of future claims.
