asked the Minister for Transport and Power the steps he has taken to implement Directive 74/149 (OJ NO L 841974).
Written Answers. - EEC Road Transport Directive.
326.
The First Council Directive (EEC) of 23rd July, 1962 as amended by a directive of 19th December, 1972 came into force in Ireland on 1st July, 1973. The directive, as amended, freed certain categories of international road transport between member states of the EEC from all licensing and quota arrangements; certain other categories of transport were freed from quota restrictions.
Directive No. 74/149 of 4th March, 1974, to which the Deputy refers, further amended the First Council Directive by freeing certain other categories of international transport within the Community from licensing or quota arrangements and by revising the list of categories of transport freed from quota restrictions. As in the case of the earlier directive, the necessary arrangements to give effect to Directive No. 74/149 from 1st July, 1974 were made by my Department on an administrative basis and advertisements were placed in the daily newspapers drawing attention to the amending directive. An explanatory note was made available to interested parties.
I have since consulted the Attorney General about the desirability of supplementing the administrative arrangements by ministerial regulations under the European Communities Act and in the light of his advice I propose to make regulations in the matter.