asked the Minister for Transport and Power the action he proposes to take to reduce the excessively high cost of Irish road freight.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Freight Costs.
12.
(Cavan): The proposals in the Road Transport Bill, 1976, at present before the Oireachtas, are designed to reduce road freight costs in so far as they are related to the structure of road freight transport in Ireland. I should emphasise, however, that there is already keen price competition in the road freight market and this provides a safeguard against excessive charges. Moreover, Irish hauliers have shown themselves to be competitive in international transport where they must compete with hauliers from Northern Ireland, Britain and continental countries. Their competitiveness is illustrated by the fact that in the meat trade, which is the principal export traffic, Irish hauliers carried 59 per cent of meat exports in 1976 against 23 per cent in 1973.
Did the Minister see a recent report in which it was stated that road freight charges are 25 per cent higher than they should be?
(Cavan): I should like to see road freight more efficient with charges lower and I believe the Road Transport Bill which I introduced will bring that about, and I find it very difficult to understand why Fianna Fáil have put down an amendment to it indicating to all and sundry that they propose, by a reasoned amendment, to oppose the Bill, lock, stock and barrel and to obstruct it in every way possible.
That is a wrong accusation. The Bill is on the Order Paper——
(Cavan): So is the Deputy's amendment.
When does the Minister intend to give it a Second Reading?
(Cavan): I am anxious to have the Bill processed as soon as the important financial business has been disposed of as well as other important business I propose to put through the House. Fianna Fáil are blowing hot and cold on this measure. In one breath they are asking to get the Bill to the House, they are asking for cheaper rates and more competition, but at the same time they take the extraordinary, unusual procedure of putting down a reasoned amendment—perhaps it is another attempt to blow hot and cold——
The Minister is now talking about bringing the Bill in as quickly as possible. Does he not know that the Bill was put down for a Second Reading as far back as April, 1976 and again in November of last year, but we still have not had it?
(Cavan): It may have been introduced by way of the Long and Short Titles some time ago but it is not so very long since it was circulated.
There is nothing about a Bill in this question.