Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 4

Written Answers. - European Pedestrian Review.

Seamus Brennan

Ceist:

67 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland has been waiting for almost one year for the result of a European Commission review of the impact on pedestrian fatalities and injuries of bull bars fitted to four wheel drive vehicles; if his Department has been in contact with the Commission regarding preliminary findings; the action, if any, he will take to ban these dangerous attachments in view of the unequivocal findings of the United Kingdom research to which he referred in his recent Dáil statement on 14 November 1995. [18360/95]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I understand that Type Approval Directive 74/483/EEC relating to external projections of motor vehicles is still under review by the European Commission. As type approval matters generally come within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, I propose to ask him to advise the Commission of my concern that the review is completed quickly so that a decision can be made on the issue of amending the directive in relation to bull bars.

As the existing directive allows for the fitting of bull bars. I am precluded from introducing legislation or regulations to ban such equipment so long as it meets the standards in the directive.