asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether CIE has taken or proposes to take any steps towards normalisation of accounts in accordance with EEC policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Accounts.
21.
I would refer the Deputy to paragraph 7.7 of the document "Membership of the European Communities—Implications for Ireland" laid before the Oireachtas by the Government in April.
Preliminary study of the EEC policy on normalisation of accounts carried out by my Department and CIE indicates that we should have no difficulty in principle in complying with EEC requirements in this respect, though some changes in legislation to bring our procedure and practices into line may be necessary.
The Deputy will appreciate that the accounts of CIE are already substantially normalised in practice. The State subvention is provided to help meet the loss on our inherently uneconomic railway services which CIE are required to operate for overall reasons of public policy. The cost of other non-commercial services such as free travel for old age pensioners is quantified as accurately as possible and charged to appropriate sources.
Under the system of normalisation of accounts, would the State subvention to CIE be greater than it is now?
That is a matter for ourselves, internally. There are no EEC implications there.