Road Safety.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2004

Tuesday, 2 November 2004

Questions (64, 65, 66, 67, 68)

Seán Crowe

Question:

126 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if he proposes to ban the use of larger supercube trucks over the coming years. [26993/04]

Emmet Stagg

Question:

132 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Transport when he expects to introduce the promised regulations restricting the height of trucks using roads here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26986/04]

Arthur Morgan

Question:

144 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Transport the research which has been done into the potential safety hazards attached to supercube trucks. [26995/04]

Arthur Morgan

Question:

163 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Transport if he proposes introducing a national height strategy in line with clearance height of the Dublin Port tunnel. [26994/04]

Pat Breen

Question:

178 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport when the publication of draft regulations to reintroduce a maximum height for vehicles will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27020/04]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Mr. Callely)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 132, 144, 163 and 178 together.

I am deferring any decision about supercube trucks and vehicle height in general until I have had the opportunity to consider the views of all parties with interests or concerns in the matter. To assist me in this process I will shortly publish a consultative paper that will outline the main issues and that will invite substantive observations on them. The consultation process will be open and inclusive and is being undertaken without any predetermined outcome. For that reason, a proposed maximum vehicle height will not be specified in the paper. It is my intention that the public consultation phase would be concluded by the end of the year.