Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will confirm that EU Directive 2004/112/EC will be implemented before 14 December 2005; if the directive will not be implemented by said date, the reason Ireland will not meet its obligations to implement it before the deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36137/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Council Directive 2004/112 of 13 December 2004 is concerned with adapting to technical progress and relates to Council Directive 95/50/EC on uniform procedures for checks on the transport of dangerous goods by road.

This directive is due for transposition into Irish law by 14 December 2005. My Department is currently examining the proposed draft regulations prepared by the Health and Safety Authority to transpose this and other directives entitled, Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 2005.

The draft Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road Regulations 2005, impose duties on the various participants associated with the carriage of the dangerous goods. They contain requirements for the vehicles, tanks, tank containers, receptacles and packages containing the dangerous goods during their carriage. They require that the drivers and others involved in the carriage of the dangerous goods by road, including their packing, loading, filling, transport and unloading be adequately trained and, in the case of drivers, hold certificates of such. The draft regulations also contain provisions on an EU harmonised approach to the road checks aspect of their enforcement.

I expect to be in a position to refer these draft regulations to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel shortly for legal settlement and ultimately transposition into Irish law in 2006.