Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Having decided on the policy, my big concern was to ensure that it was not abused, and that it would be focused on the people the policy intended to assist. That is why the reference to the haulage licence and tax compliance was included. Members are familiar with people in the haulage business who are not tax compliant nor compliant with many other requirements either. We want to rule those out and focus the measure.

If Deputy Dooley were to say to the people who have been in touch with him that some of the operators who do not need a licence to be licensed at present would qualify for a licence if they apply to the Revenue and would get a haulage licence. That would take the unfair competition argument out of the equation. However, many of those to whom Deputy Dooley refers would not qualify for a haulage licence.