Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The National Roads Authority does not have a statutory role or function in regard to taxation policy or the taxation of vehicles, including heavy goods vehicles. Therefore, it would not be the appropriate body to conduct such research or to provide advice on the matter. It should be noted however that section 32(2) of the Roads Act 1993 states that the NRA may provide services to the Minister on such terms and conditions as may be agreed. This will, of course, only apply to the NRA specific statutory functions. To repeat, the National Roads Authority and the new body that will emerge following the passage of this Bill is not a body with a statutory role in regard to taxation policy.

It should also be noted that section 17(1) provides that Transport Infrastructure Ireland shall provide advice or services to the Minister in regard to the functions transferred to the authority under section 7. There is accordingly ample provision in the Bill and existing legislation for the provision of advice on services to the Minister on matters within the remit of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The Bill, when passed, will provide scope to that body to provide advice on services to me in regard to matters transferred to it. Currently, the NRA does not have a statutory role in this area.

In previous years, it was always open to Oireachtas Members, with a modest amount of support in the Oireachtas, to complete reports in particular policy areas in which they had an interest and for those reports to be debated in committees or on the floor of the Dáil. I would welcome a return of that facility. Sometimes this would happen through the rapporteur model and was a frequent occurrence when I was a Member of the Seanad. This is a model I would like to see restored, because through it Senators with an interest in a particular area could make their views known formally to the Government and the Oireachtas.I regret that I am not in a position to accept the Senator's amendment, specifically because the National Roads Authority does not have a statutory role in regard to tax policy or the setting of tax rates.