Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 375: To ask the Minister for Transport the work programme for 2006 of his Department's road haulage division; the work carried out by this division in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9320/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As part of a reorganisation of the road haulage functions of my Department earlier this year, the operator licensing functions are now in a division which also deals with motor insurance and intelligence transport systems. The control of drivers' hours and rest periods and general enforcement functions are in a division dealing with vehicle standards and their enforcement. It is the intention that these latter functions would transfer to the Road Safety Authority when the Road Safety Authority Bill is passed into law.

Each functional area has a separate work programme for the year the main elements of which are operator licensing, with the issue of road freight carriers' licences and road passenger transport operators' licences, including the issue of community authorisations, permits, certificates of professional competence and letters of attestation to drivers who are not EU nationals; enforcement, with enforcement of drivers' rule and rest periods and issue of digital smart card to all lorry and bus drivers, operators and workshops; and the general area. Both divisions will continue with preparations for decentralisation to Loughrea in accordance with the Government's decentralisation programme; upgrading the current IT database system; implementation of the recommendations of the strategy for the successful development of the Irish road haulage agreed between the Minister of State and IRHA last Easter; reviewing and, as appropriate, amending existing legislation to improve licensing rules.

In 2005, in addition to licensing and enforcement functions, the road haulage division prepared the necessary legislation for the Minister on implementing EU directives on drivers' hours and rest periods and the working time directive; and placing a requirement on all licensed road haulage and bus operators to have adequate parking facilities for the vehicles they operate. The technical preparations necessary for the issue of digital smart cards were also completed. A system of discs to be displayed on all lorries and buses operated by licensed operators was also introduced which avoids the need for operators to have vehicles plated by the Garda Síochána.