Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

Such information as to the number of foreign road hauliers is not collated by my Department. Therefore, I cannot honestly say to the Deputy that there are more or fewer foreign road hauliers coming into the country. The Deputy is correct that fewer hauliers are operating from Ireland and fewer hauliers have been licensed in Ireland over the past number of years. This is due to the current economic difficulties. As for trying to help Irish hauliers, the most efficient and effective action the Government can take to help the hauliers is to provide proper road infrastructure to ensure they can move goods around the country and to the ports as fast and as safely as possible. Our record in that regard has been exemplary. Other than such action, there is not much the Government can do to assist individual hauliers as this is an open, liberalised market and we would be in difficulties with competition authorities.

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