Vol. 514 No. 3
169 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Finance the way in which he can justify payment of fuel rebate to CIE in view of the large annual subvention and other moneys paid by the Government to the company; and his views on whether the loss of this rebate to private industry is devastating to it. [4001/00]
I assume the Deputy is referring to the passenger road service fuel relief scheme which dates back to section 10(8) of the Finance Act, 1957. I wish to make it clear to the Deputy that the scheme is not restricted to CIE alone. It is open to any operator providing passenger road services within the meaning of section 2 of the Road Transport Act, 1932, where the provider of such services is either licensed under the Act or exempted from such licensing. The board of CIE is exempt by virtue of section 24 of the Transport Act, 1958.
