Under EU Council Directive 96/26/EC, as amended by EC Directive 98/76/EC, access to the profession of road freight carrier is open to any person, partnership, company or co-operative who can fulfil the three main criteria of adequate financial standing, good repute and professional competence.
The directive states that proof of professional competence shall be demonstrated by the applicant passing a written examination in the subjects listed in annex 1 of the directive and holding a certificate of professional competence. Where an applicant does not satisfy the professional competence requirement, he/she may designate a person who is professionally competent and of good repute to continuously and effectively manage the applicant's business.
In this regard, for the person referred to by the Deputy to comply with the condition regarding professional competence he must either sit the examination himself or, if he does not wish to sit the CPC examination, he may appoint someone who already holds a certificate of professional competence to act as his transport manager and who will effectively manage and control the haulage undertaking.
Full details of the requirements and application procedure for a road freight carrier's licence are available from the road haulage division of my Department and on the Department's website at www.dpe.ie.
