Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the Minister and the Minister of State for agreeing to allow me to substitute for Deputy Shortall who could not be in the House today.

The Minister of State has said he is giving consideration to a regulation on statutory weight and maximum height. His predecessor, Deputy McDaid, told the Labour Party, in answer to a parliamentary question three or four years ago, that the Government was drawing up proposals to regulate the maximum height of vehicles. Much research has already been done on this issue. Why have we not seen that research and why are we having this debate? Is it the case that the Minister and Minister of State have caved in to lobbying by specific interest groups to prevent such regulation being brought forward?

The recent EU ruling on the Austrian, Italian border issue clearly indicates that restrictions may be justified by imperatives relating to the protection of the environment and the court stressed that point. Therefore, does the Minister of State agree that he has power, both at Irish and EU level, to bring forward necessary regulations in this regard?

Will the Minister of State inform the House how many EU countries have regulations on the height and weight of vehicles and what they are? What is the general pattern across Europe?

The Taoiseach was reported in the media as saying that the contents of the EU ruling do not apply to us. Did the Minister, Deputy Cullen, or the Minister of State, Deputy Callely, discuss this matter with the Taoiseach before he made his remarks?

What does the Minister of State believe should happen with the types of vehicles that will be permitted on the roads of our capital city? Both the Minister and I have served on Dublin City Council and I am interested in his view on the numbers of axles, weight and height allowed following the opening of the Dublin Port tunnel.

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