Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 865: To ask the Minister for Transport his plans to seek the retention of the 12 day derogation for rest periods for drivers of tourist coaches (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the critical part coach tourism has in the overall tourism industry, particularly in the West; if his attention has further been drawn to the regressive effects the ending of such a derogation will have on coach tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1475/06]

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 866: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on the concerns of coach operators (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1480/06]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 870: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of coach tour operators regarding imminent changes to Regulation (EEC) 320/85, Article 6(1) which will remove a derogation which allowed a single driver for a 12 day tour; and if he has considered and raised these concerns with the Commission. [1591/06]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 873: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of the coach tourism sector regarding the implications of recent EU legislation (details supplied) relating to road transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1664/06]

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 875: To ask the Minister for Transport his response to the issues raised in correspondence from a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1734/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 865, 866, 870, 873 and 875 together.

On 6 December 2005, the European Parliament and the European Council reached agreement through the conciliation process on a new EU regulation designed to improve driving times and rest periods for professional drivers. The new rules will replace the existing drivers' hours rules which have not been updated since 1985. It is expected that the legal text of the new regulation will be formally adopted later this month and will enter into force throughout the EU as soon as it is published in the EU Official Journal. The new regulation includes a number of changes to the existing rules, including the removal of the existing provision that allows drivers of passenger vehicles involved in non-regular services to drive for up to 12 continuous days before taking a weekly rest period. As the provisions of the new regulation have been agreed at EU level, there is no scope for making changes at this stage.