Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I initiated a general review into the criteria for granting road transport licences in April 2009 in the aftermath of the drug case referred to by the Deputy. Mr. Jimmy Farrelly was engaged to review all aspects of the decision to award the licence and, having regard to that review, to examine and to make recommendations on the procedures for processing applications for licences and the legislative framework.

Mr. Farrelly's report made a number of recommendations to strengthen legislation, as well as proposals on improving procedural and processing matters. I have since published the Farrelly report and an accompanying action plan for the implementation of its recommendations on my Department's website.

Many of the recommendations have now been fully implemented and others have been progressed substantially. In addition, legal advice was sought and received on the current regulations as many of the legal, and constitutional issues around the criteria for granting licences, have proven difficult and complex. Legal advice recommended strengthening of compliance with EU law in this area and advised that new regulations would be required to achieve this.

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