Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 12 May 2005, the progress made in agreeing measures on the retrofitting of blind spot mirrors to existing heavy goods vehicles; if he has prepared legislation in this regard; if so, when same will be published; the response he has had from the IRHA, SIMI and other representative groups; if he has received the approval of the European Commission; the position regarding the matter with that body; and the target date for the commencement of statutory obligations in this regard. [31738/05]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has been advised by the European Commission that the question of a Community initiative in regard to retrofitting existing heavy goods vehicles, HGVs, with mirrors systems to address the issue of blind stops is being considered by it in the context of its mid-term review of the European road safety action plan 2001-10. I must await the outcome of the Commission's consideration of this matter before proceeding further on the development of national legislation in this area. However, I propose to ask the Commission to be as supportive as possible of a retrofit initiative in respect of this particular area of concern.

Earlier this year, I wrote to the Irish Road Haulage Association, IRHA, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, and the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, IBEC, requesting them to consider the introduction of measures in their spheres of control so that existing vehicles will be retrofitted with necessary mirrors or indirect vision devices and that, in advance of the 26 January 2007 deadline, all new HGVs being put on the market will meet the higher standards in regard to the fields of vision of drivers. The IRHA responded positively indicating that for the past number of years it has actively encouraged its members to fit convex mirrors to their vehicles and to request these on their new vehicles. In this regard, the IRHA informed me that they wrote to the main importers of HGVs requesting the fitting of these mirrors as standard equipment.