Vol. 534 No. 2
67 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the production of a certificate of professional competence by the applicant is a pre- condition for the issue of a road freight carrier's licence; if there are exemptions or exceptions to this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10343/01]
To qualify for a road freight carrier's licence applicants must satisfy the EU criterion of professional competence. This criterion is satisfied by the applicant for a licence holding a certificate of professional competence, CPC. Where the applicant is a partnership or company the criterion is satisfied by either a partner or director in the business holding the CPC.
Where the applicant is not the holder of this qualification he or she may employ a transport manager who holds the qualification to manage his or her business. Persons employed as transport managers must be available to continuously and effectively manage the applicant's road transport business. In addition they are not allowed to hold any other employment outside the road transport business.
The only exceptions to the above rule are: where the person employed as a transport manager is the spouse-partner of the applicant. In such cases the transport manager can hold employment outside the road transport business and be designated as transport manager; where an applicant for a licence is sitting the next available CPC examination a transport manager can be designated on a temporary basis to allow the applicant to qualify for the CPC.
