Vol. 409 No. 1
155 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he has satisfied himself with the degree of compliance by companies operating the tourist end of the coach hire business to their obligations to the EEC regulations No. 3820/85 and 3821/85 that compel drivers and owners to adhere to standards in using tachograph and related obligations.
156 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications the number of vehicles using tachographs that are registered in the Republic of Ireland.
157 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications whether he has satisfied himself with the degree of policing in force in ensuring compliance with the regulations on the use of tachograph and other related obligations under EEC regulations 3820/85 and 3821/85.
158 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will outline the numbers of full time transport officers in his Department that are enforcing compliance with both EEC regulations No. 3820/85 and 3821/85.
159 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will outline the numbers of successful prosecutions resulting from his transport officers' prosecution of drivers/owners under the EEC regulations 3820/85 and 3812/85 for each of the last three years.
160 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if he will outline the total numbers of prosecutions resulting from the implementation of the EEC regulations No. 3820/85 and 3821/85 in the last three years which were successfully pursued by (a) the Garda Síochána, (b) Customs and Excise officers and (c) transport officers of his Department.
161 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications whether it is his policy to fully investigate all complaints made to his Department reporting abuses by employers who compel their coach drivers and couriers to exceed the driving periods, break and rest periods and other related regulations as covered in the EEC regulations 3820/85 and 3821/85.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 161, inclusive, together.
Vehicles used for the carriage of goods with a maximum weight capacity of over 3.5 tons and passenger vehicles with a capacity of more than 17 persons are required to carry tachograph instrumentation and comply with all other provisions outlined in EEC regulations nos. 3820-85 and 3821-85. Responsibility for statistics on vehicle registrations is a matter for the Department of the Environment which estimate that 27,000 vehicles currently registered in Ireland have tachograph equipment installed.
