Vol. 390 No. 6
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if his Department has received complaints from the Independent Road Hauliers Association concerning delays in issuing road transport licences and certificates of professional competence; if he has investigated the complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
9.
andMr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the reason for the delay in the issuing of road freight carriers licences and certificates of competence; and the steps he proposes to take to improve the situation.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.
Recently officials of my Department met a deputation from the Independent Hauliers Association. At that meeting the deputation raised, inter alia, the question of delays in granting carriers licences and certificates of competence. It was explained to the deputation that apart from the large volume of applications received, in most cases the applications were not properly completed; neither was all the necessary back-up documentation supplied.
I am satisfied that my Department are making every effort to finalise applications received as soon as possible. Since it appears that a difficulty exists in completing forms, I propose to have included in any future courses leading to the examination for certificates of competence, a practical exercise on completion of applications forms. Indeed because of the difficulty being experienced with the completion of forms, an official of my Department attended the recent intensive course held in Rathmines College of Commerce and dealt with issues relating to the completion of such forms.
I am interested to hear the Minister say that some improvement will be made in the completion of forms because I understand that is one of the major difficulties that the independent road hauliers have. I also understand that there seems to be a bureaucratic approach to the problems which the independent hauliers are confronted with. They are advised as to how the forms should be filled out. Having got that advice they go away and fill them out but inevitably when they come back something is wrong. I am not saying that is necessarily the fault of the individuals in the Department dealing with it; I know the forms are relatively complex. They also inform me that there are delays because they cannot get tax clearance certificates on time. They may have to wait for very long periods for tax clearance certificates and consequently that holds up the issuing of certificates of competence or, indeed, hauliers licences. The quality of bank references required are of a very high standard. Some of the hauliers have difficulty in complying with those kinds of requests. The Minister has acknowledged that there is a delay. He has also acknowledged that there is some difficulty in completion of forms. I accept that he intends making improvements in that area, but would he also check whether the requirements being imposed are too heavy on the applicants and, perhaps, with the co-operation of the officials in the Department——
This is a very long question.
——this could be dealt with to some extent.
The three demands, as the Deputy is aware, are for evidence of sound financial standing, good repute and also professional competence. We have found that some of the hauliers — excellent people in their own way and well able to run their own businesses — are not good at the form filling exercise. We are trying to remedy that and to build into the Chartered Institute of Transport study a section which will help them. In regard to the tax on the banks, that is not my domain. If it would be of any help I will ask somebody in my Department to indicate to the Revenue Commissioners that this causes difficulties and that some special arrangement might be made for people whose livelihood depends on the haulage industry. With regard to the banks I think they are a law unto themselves. I would not be 100 per cent sure that I would be able to get that kind of document from my own bank.
Is the Minister not off-loading the problems of his own plate to the banks and the Revenue Commissioners? It is the Minister who is insisting on the information from the banks. It is the Minister who is insisting on the certification from the Revenue Commissioners.
We are not in court now.
Surely, it is altogether wrong for the Minister to try to off-load the problem back to them. The banks do not give a hoot whether their client hauliers have to produce the information. It is the Minister——
A question please, Deputy.
Would the Minister not also accept that apart from the very stringent conditions which he is laying down that there are delays at his own end. For instance, I am told that people who did the examination last December — five or six months ago — have not yet been issued with their certificates of competence.
By the Chartered Institute of Transport. The Deputy does not know as much as he thinks he knows.
I am trying to find out. I am trying to load as much as I can on top of the Minister naturally. Is the Minister not doing anything about this? Does he not have any care or concern that this problem should arise? These people have come to the Minister and to us with their hands out begging some help to find their way through these bureaucratic obstacles. The Minister is the person who should be able to slash the red tape and the bureaucracy and help them.
I think the Deputy has made his point.
I said I would inform the Deputy that it is not the Minister who is making these demands, it is not the Minister who is increasing the bureaucracy but it is the European Community and it is a Directive of the European Community that we are adhering to on all three points — the competence, the professional standing and the financial standing.
They do not specify the details.
I am going to recommend the Deputy for the next drama festival in Athlone.
