asked the Minister for Transport and Power if, in view of the fact that due to higher capital and running costs the road haulage sector now find that they cannot compete with UK hauliers, he intends taking any action in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Haulage Competition.
2.
Competition between Irish and UK hauliers arises only in the international haulage field as UK hauliers are not entitled to engage in point to point transport within the State.
The main international activity of the Irish road haulage sector in so far as roll-on/roll-off traffic is concerned is related to the export of meat. This is one of our most important exports and, as the Deputy will no doubt agree, it is vital for the economy that there should be no hold up in the export of this commodity. In order, therefore, to ensure adequacy of transport, it has been the policy for a number of years to grant licences freely to UK and other foreign hauliers for the temporary importation of vehicles into the State for the purpose of exporting Irish meat. Likewise, merchandise licences are freely granted to Irish hauliers who wish to participate or increase their participation in the movement of this important traffic.
In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of Irish hauliers involved in the export of meat and I am glad to be able to tell the Deputy that Irish hauliers have succeeded in increasing their share of this traffic travelling on roll-on/roll-off ferry services from 23 per cent in 1973 to 50 per cent in 1975.
In these circumstances, I do not accept that the Irish road haulage sector cannot compete in this area with UK hauliers.
I freely acknowledge, however, that Irish hauliers are subject to a number of competitive disadvantages vis-á-vis UK hauliers due, inter alia, to the fact that the capital and running costs which the Irish haulier has to bear are, for a number of reasons, higher than in the UK for the same type of vehicle.
In the interest of building up an efficient international haulage industry, I myself am very anxious that Irish hauliers should be given every opportunity to compete with foreign hauliers.
The only way open to me as Minister for Transport and Power to take effective action to promote the development of the Irish road haulage industry is by an appropriate amendment of road transport legislation which I foreshadowed some time ago. The text of the relevant Bill should, in fact, be in the hands of Deputies in a day or so.
Has the Minister had regard to the fact that trade in the haulage of meat is likely to diminish in the coming year or two because of the drop in the slaughterings from the factories? Further, is he aware that there are Irish trucking firms based in close proximity to Irish meat plants who have had to cease operations recently while United Kingdom truckers are doing the haulage work from Irish meat factories?
I am not so aware with regard to the second point made by the Deputy.
I can assure the Minister it is so.
If the Deputy gives me the names I will look into the matter. I do not know anything about it. I do not see the relevance of the first part of the Deputy's supplementary question. Is he saying that the fall-off in the amount of meat going through the factories will mean a smaller demand for haulage?
For refrigerated haulage.
The Irish proportion of the trade has grown so much, they are on the spot and I think they will continue to get the bulk of the carriage of this trade.
Is the Minister satisfied that Irish firms who have gone into the refrigerated haulage business in the last few years can expect to get a sufficiency of work to remain in business?
I think so. Of course, sufficiency of work is dependent on the through-put in the factories——
Is the Minister aware of the major haulage contracts that have been given out for a considerable time now, from the North of Ireland with regard to the transportation of pipes? There have been as many as 15 trucks each day travelling between the North of Ireland and Cork and I would say almost every haulier in the North has been employed. Will the Minister state if CIE or any of the private hauliers here were asked to tender for this work or were given the opportunity of transporting the pipes? If the Minister does not have this information, will he investigate the position? I am sure he knows about the scheme I am talking about; it is a major contract.
I do not know who awarded the contract.
I presume the contract was awarded by the people who sent the pipes from Northern Ireland and I expect that is where the responsibility for the transportation really lies. In view of the large amount of business involved and the fact that the Irish haulage trade could do with it at the moment, would it be possible to find out if some of the business could be given to Irish firms?
If it is a private contract given by a company in the North of Ireland they would give it to whoever they liked provided the price was right.
Is the Minister not aware that the merchandise being carried are pipes for a local authority project in Cork?
The Deputy appears to be referring to a special matter.
I do not know if the local authority made it a condition that Irish hauliers be employed to transport the pipes.
CIE are an organisation under the jurisdiction of the Minister. Surely it is a matter of concern for them to see this huge amount of haulage work being carried out while they are not given an opportunity to tender for it, if they were not given that opportunity. I am not sure on that point—perhaps they were.
If the Deputy is not sure of his facts, it would be better for him to establish what is the position before we have a discussion on it.
I have allowed the Deputy a lot of latitude. I want to deal with other questions.
About two months ago the Deputy came in here and made a big play about a semi-State body who were giving contracts for haulage work to some other industry. I asked the Deputy for details but I have heard nothing since then. I presume this is something of the same nature.
I would not even reply to that——
That is my point. I asked for information but I did not get it.
I asked the question whether CIE were asked to tender, and if there was some reason why some of the business could not be given to them.
If the Deputy puts down a question about this matter, I will endeavour to obtain the information for him.
The Minister stated that there were a number of reasons why hauliers are disadvantaged; would he like to mention some of them?
The fact that there is some protection for the assemblers of motor vehicles here—there is a duty on the assembled vehicle coming in which does not apply in England— makes it somewhat more expensive.
Is fuel more expensive also?
No, not necessarily. If they are engaged in international haulage, they buy the fuel outside the country. They would purchase the bulk of their fuel outside the country.
In cases where everything else is equal, price and quality of service coming from Irish firms, would the Minister use his good offices, especially with Irish meat plants to recommend that Irish haulage firms be engaged?
I would be glad to do that.