Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael)

The majority of those concerned would have single-vehicle operations. It is not as though fleets of agricultural vehicles would go on the road drawing material and I note not much construction is going on at present. It pertains to self-operators and so on and I acknowledge that certain exemptions exist. However, the Minister should consider this because people are not aware one requires a transport licence to, for example, haul grain for hire or even in respect of plant hire and of JCBs, HYMACs or things like that. This knowledge is not in the public domain. People always have considered that agricultural vehicles were exempt. People thought they were exempt if they were hauling animals to the factory or the local mart in a cattle trailer if they did it for hire. However, under this legislation, it appears as though this is not the case. If one takes something for hire, that means one is not exempt and one therefore needs a haulage licence. This matter must be clarified.