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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Feb 1988

Vol. 378 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Passenger Licences.

28.

asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport in considering the application for a road passenger licence under the Road Transport Act, 1932, if he takes into account the level of existing licensed services into a given area; and if so, the method by which he comes to the conclusion that services into a particular area are sufficient.

In considering applications for road passenger licences I am required in accordance with section 11 (3) of the Road Transport Act, 1932, to have regard, inter alia, to the passenger road services and other forms of passenger transport available to the public on or in the neighbourhood of the proposed service.

In determining the adequacy of services account is taken, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, of existing bus and rail services provided by CIE and of bus services provided by other licensed operators.

A review of the 1932 Act has recently been concluded in my Department and proposals for updating the Act are now being finalised. Subject to Government approval, it is my intention to introduce a more flexible system for the licensing of private bus operators.

I welcome any initiatives which will update the 1932 Act. However, will the Minister accept in the present circumstances that the issuing of licences by his Department is not carried out in a fair manner? I am sure the Minister is aware that if the rule was applied equally to everybody, CIE and hauliers licensed by the Minister's Department would not be driven crazy by unlicensed hauliers, whose reward is a licence to compete with CIE and the licensed hauliers, which is wrong.

Ceist led' thoil.

In other areas the opposite seems to be happening. Will the Minister agree that, in effect, there is no pattern to the way licences are being issued at present?

I deny the Deputy's allegations. The principles outlined in my answer are applied in each individual case of application to my Department. I agree that the situation is unsatisfactory and, because of that, the review of the 1932 Act has taken place in my Department. I hope to be able to bring proposals to Government and legislation to the House this year.

In his speech to the Chartered Institute of Transport, the Minister spoke about updating legislation and the liberalisation involved. However, he seemed to contradict himself because on the one hand he was talking about liberalisation and on the other he was practically apologising to CIE for not being in a position to give them more funds. Is there a conflict of interest in regard to establishing a policy in terms of liberalisation of transport development to give real competition on the roads? Is that how he sees his liberalisation policies going?

If the Deputy interpreted my speech to the Chartered Institute of Transport as lacking in logic or as inconsistent, it is a false interpretation. The 1932 Act is being examined with a view to bringing legislation before the House to regularise a situation which should have been dealt with long ago. The 1932 Act was put on the Statute Book for the purposes of preserving the railways and is now totally out of date.

A final supplementary, Deputy.

Will the Minister consider setting up an independent body for the issuing of licences? Will he agree that that is the only way to get a fair spread of licences throughout the country which will not be politically biased and which will be seen to be fair in the trade?

No, I reject the implication in the Deputy's question that there is any unfairness in regard to the allocation of licences. Legislation will cover the licensing system.

There are two Private Notice questions concerning the same subject matter, the Dublin Corporation fire dispute, in the names of Deputies De Rossa and Colley.

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