Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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726. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress made regarding ensuring that HGVs registered in the Republic are exempt from the UK's road user charge while operating into or travelling through Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8961/14]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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734. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the HGV Road User Levy Act 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9106/14]

Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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742. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions that have taken place to date; the actions that will be taken regarding the HGV Road User Levy Act 2013 that will be enacted on 1 April 2014 by the Northern Ireland Executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9394/14]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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743. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport regarding the HGV Road User Levy Act 2013, which will be brought into law in April, in the UK and Northern Ireland, that will impose a levy of £10 sterling on all HGVs entering the UK and Northern Ireland, the implications of such a charge being levied on the fleet of HGVs who regularly service Northern Ireland from the Republic will have a very serious impact on a sector that is already suffering, and it will have a very detrimental effect on employment within the industry; if he will negotiate a deal with the Northern Ireland Assembly that will see HGVs from the Republic, exempt from this levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9477/14]

Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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750. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will discuss with his Northern Ireland counterpart the possibility of a derogation for Irish hauliers on the daily charge to enter Northern Ireland under the HGV Road User Levy Act 2013. [9560/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 726, 734, 742, 743 and 750 together.

Since 1999, various EU directives have set common rules on distance-related tolls and time-based user charges (known as vignettes) for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) for the use of certain roads infrastructure.  It is open to any Member State to introduce road user charges if it wishes.  The new road user levy, which is being introduced by the UK Parliament, applies to all HGVs weighing 12 tonnes or more for use of UK roads including those in Northern Ireland.  This levy is due to come into effect on 1 April 2014.   

I am very aware of the concerns of the Irish haulage industry regarding the introduction of a HGV road user levy by the UK authorities.  On a number of occasions, I have expressed my concerns to both the UK and Northern Ireland authorities regarding the impact this levy will have on Republic of Ireland hauliers.  I have sought exemptions for roads in Northern Ireland to reduce the impact of the levy on Irish hauliers on the basis of the Irish government's contribution towards the cost of roads infrastructure in Northern Ireland.  The issue has also been discussed at transport sectoral meetings of the North South Ministerial Council.   

I met Stephen Hammond M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 20 February 2013 and again pressed the issue at that meeting.  Clause 3 of the UK HGV Road User Levy Act 2013 allows the UK Secretary of State to vary the extent of the scheme by order.  The UK has proposed to exempt approximately 7 miles of cross-border road between the Republic and Northern Ireland.  This would allow all operators to use these stretches of road without paying the levy, as it would be a breach of EU legislation to grant an exemption to just one country.  The UK Government has been quite clear that that they are not open to exempting all Northern Irish roads from the levy.  In this context, at the meeting with Minister Hammond, I proposed that an exemption be given for the A5, as it is often used by operators starting a journey in the Republic and transiting Northern Ireland to deliver goods to another location in the Republic, and it was agreed that further consideration would be given to this proposal. My officials are continuing to engage with the UK Department for Transport on this matter. Any support that the Northern Irish Executive or individual Ministers of the Executive can bring to bear on the UK Government to ensure that there is an exemption for the A5 would of course be welcomed.