Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I welcome the amendment in general terms. What range of deposits are we talking about in this regard? I note there are no regulations on deposits provided at the end of the Bill and that the Minister has not provided for additional tables relating to how this will operate in practice. What kind of payments are we talking about? It is past time the State began to invigilate heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, properly. I am aware they are part of an important industry and play an important role in our economy. There has been a feeling that the working time directive has been flagrantly ignored and that tachographs have not been properly invigilated. There has been criticism in this regard from PARC and other campaigners. They have complained that at one stage we only had two gardaí in the country who could read the tachographs. There is evidence in this area from the British road safety authority, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, VOSA. It has consistently registered a high level of defective Irish HGVs. VOSA's 2007 survey found that over half of our vehicles were defective.

The Minister has introduced transport officers and has promoted the general development of powers for checkpoints at which a transport officer is present. Most people would agree that we must get this right. Other countries seem to have a more effective system, although some countries mirror Ireland. I recall a discussion of the new European legislation on European bus companies, such as Polish bus companies, and on European HGV operators at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport. At that stage, our system did not seem to offer any kind of invigilation. Tragically, HGVs have been involved in some horrendous collisions and have been responsible for a significant number of deaths. It is important that the working time directive is observed and that vehicles operating on our roads are in top class condition.

We did not get a briefing note on this amendment, but we had asked the Minister to do something in this regard. I have an amendment later which proposes action in this regard. This amendment is a first step in the effort to invigilate this area and is important for the country and the economy. We must ensure this area is run on the highest possible standards. The Minister seems to have covered most of the key points, but will there be a schedule of payments and what will these involve in practice?

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