asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that Córas Iompair Éireann will not permit private lorry owners to load cattle at railway loading banks; that this refusal results in loss of time and increased expenses to farmers and in hardship to cattle; and if he will, therefore, direct Córas Iompair Éireann to make loading facilities at railway stations available for private lorry owners.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Carriage of Live Stock.
I have no functions in regard to the use of the loading banks owned by Córas Iompair Éireann and any applications on this subject should be addressed to the company. I understand that the company are prepared to consider applications from responsible local bodies for the temporary use of suitable railway loading banks, subject to indemnification against losses and claims for damages and to priority for the company's own vehicles.
Is the Minister aware that this matter has caused grave inconvenience and hardship and that men with lorries have been turned away from the stations? Surely the railway company should be very glad to accommodate people in this matter of loading cattle from loading banks which the company is not using at present. From complaints I have had, I know that men have had to take cattle away, bring them into a field and jump them over ditches in order to load them. Surely that is ridiculous in the circumstances?
Is the Minister aware that at the last fair in Roscommon, on 1st of this month, Córas Iompair Éireann requested the Garda to prevent the loading of cattle at that railway station, and that, when the farmers and the private lorry owners went down the town to seek a different loading point, the Garda again intervened and prohibited them from loading there and that when, in desperation, the farmers and private lorry owners went three miles outside the town to load the cattle, the Garda, who followed them out in a car, also prevented them from doing so? Has the Minister any explanation to offer in that regard?
I think it is perfectly reasonable for Córas Iompair Éireann to require that, before they allow the use of their loading banks by private persons, some responsible person should indemnify them against claims for damages or other losses in which they may be involved. If they can get that indemnification against claims for damages or loss, they are prepared to make arrangements with responsible bodies for the use of these loading banks, as a temporary arrangement.
How do responsible bodies come into it? Are not all these vehicles insured?
The Deputy is probably not aware that the great majority of the loading banks are not suitable for loading cattle into road vehicles.
They were suitable in the past.
Most of the enterprising local authorities have provided public loading banks for the use of road vehicles.
Surely it is not right that Córas Iompair Éireann should prohibit them from loading cattle down the town or three miles outside the town?
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the cost of the carriage of live stock by road is 150 per cent. greater than the cost of carriage by rail; that this additional cost is a heavy burden on farmers; and if he will, therefore, take such steps as may be necessary to secure that, during the curtailment of rail freight services arising from the fuel emergency, Córas Iompair Éireann will charge for the haulage of live stock by road, rates not greater than those chargeable for haulage by rail.
I am aware that the charges for the carriage of live stock by road exceed the corresponding charges by rail. Lorry rates are calculated by transport undertakings on a cost-plus-profit basis and I would be unable to require Córas Iompair Éireann to carry live stock by road at rail rates, which would, I understand, be less than the cost of providing the road service.
May I give the Minister one example? From the station nearest to me, the station at which I load my cattle, Killinick, the cost per wagon is £5 12s. 8. I had the pleasure of paying £12 15s. 6d. for a lorry last week which carried one beast less than a railway wagon. Is the Minister aware that all that goes back on the producer? The farmers are not having a very rosy time at the moment. Their haggards are all empty and they have cattle which they cannot get away and that amount of 22/- per beast falls on the farmer. Surely that is not the way to compensate the farmer for the big effort he made to deal with the bad harvest and for the losses in cattle and other difficulties which he has experienced during a very severe winter. It is ridiculous——
Has the Deputy a question to ask?
Through you, I am asking this question.
I did not hear the question.
Is it fair to the public to have to pay 23/- a head more by road than by rail for the transportation of cattle to the Dublin market? Is it?
It is recognised that the transportation of cattle by road costs more than the transportation of cattle by rail but I do not think it would be reasonable to require Córas Iompair Éireann to carry cattle by road at a loss.
You have no alternative. Do not they all belong to the one company? Do not they all belong to yourselves? Why should the farmer be fleeced for that?
Are we to understand that this is the cheap and efficient transport we were promised in the Transport Bill, which precipitated the defeat of the Government in this House? Is this the result?
If the Deputy will read the papers he will realise that the railways are having certain difficulties at the present time.
We are fully aware of that. We are also aware that they are not making a decent effort to meet the situation.