asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will review the 72-hour concession given to freight hauliers from Northern Ireland, as it is causing unemployment in the 26 Counties since the handing over of road freight to private enterprise in Northern Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Northern Ireland Freight Hauliers.
2.
The position is that the 72 hours customs free entry concession has recently been replaced by facilities covering temporary duty free importation for periods of up to one year of vehicles engaged in road freight transport.
Under reciprocal arrangements in force since July, 1966, Northern hauliers may engage, under licences issued by me, in the cross-Border transport of merchandise for reward. These licences do not permit the transport of merchandise from point to point within the State. I have no evidence that these arrangements have caused unemployment in the State.
I believe the Minister has not given the information Deputy Cunningham wishes to obtain. The question relates to the transport of goods from Northern Ireland to the Republic and from the Republic to Northern Ireland, and not as the Minister said within the Republic. Will the Minister not agree that this is not the real reason the Northern Ireland hauliers have an advantage over the hauliers of the Republic? The real trouble is that they can purchase their vehicles for 15 per cent less, that the road tax is 50 per cent less, that tyres are half the price and that motor vehicles are in some cases 25 per cent cheaper than they are here.
Question No. 3. The Deputy is making a speech on Question No. 2. I am calling Question No. 3.
I am asking the Minister does he not agree that this is the real reason. Will he not agree to comment?
There may be discrepancies——
There are discrepancies.
——but I would not agree that they are as suggested by the Deputy. In any event, there are discussions on the cross-Border licences taking place between the Northern Ireland authorities and ourselves arising from the results of the mutual liberalisation operation which has been very successful on the whole. There are discussions taking place to review the whole position.
Question No. 3.
Does the Minister really appreciate the information which Deputy Cunningham seeks? He wishes to ask whether the Minister is aware of the great advantage which Northern Ireland hauliers have in comparison with the hauliers on this side of the Border.
There is no question of advantages in the question. It deals with concessions.
Well, the inference is that there is a definite advantage or else Deputy Cunningham is asking a very stupid question.
We cannot discuss what is not in the question.