Vol. 559 No. 6
204 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Transport if his Department's attention has been drawn to the commercial possibilities for environmentally friendly car travel as produced by the revolutionary compressed-air engine of a company (details supplied); if the Government will consider investing in ventures to place such vehicles commercially and profitably on the market here at an early stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26960/02]
205 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Transport if his Department will arrange a fact-finding visit to the factory of a company (details supplied) in Spain, in view of the fact that a delegation from the Spanish Ministry of Transport has already visited the facility. [26961/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
Under EU law, it is a requirement for the first registration and use of a passenger car in a member state that it complies with the provisions of Directive 98/14/EC in relation to whole vehicle type approval. Individual member states are generally prohibited from permitting the registration of passenger vehicles not holding EU whole vehicle type approval.
Consequently it will be necessary for a vehicle of the type referred to in the question to have EU whole vehicle type approval in order for it to be sold in any of the member states. The appropriate step is for the manufacturer to make application for such type approval for the vehicle to the type approval authority in a member state.
It is unlikely that state aid for a venture such as that outlined in the question would be in conformity with EU competition law. In any event, my Department has no funds available to invest in ventures of this type and, in the circumstances, does not propose to visit the factory of the company concerned.
