Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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776. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the discussions both he and his officials have had with their respective counterparts in Northern Ireland regarding the common travel area since March 2011 through the medium of the North-South Ministerial Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25951/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Following clarification of the question, I understand it refers to the possibility of a shared HGV road charging regime with the UK. The issue of the HGV road user levy introduced on April 1 2014 in the UK, including Northern Ireland, has been discussed at the North South Ministerial Council.  It has been acknowledged in these discussions that this issue is an excepted matter under the exclusive authority of the UK government in Westminster.  

A cross-Departmental working group has been established, following consultation with my colleague Phil Hogan, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, to examine the feasibility of introducing a pay-as-you-go road tax scheme for HGVs in Ireland.  The group is due to report to Government by the middle of this year with its recommendations.  One of the options under review is a common road charging regime, where a single charge is applied but payers can use roads in more than one country.  There is precedence in Europe with the Eurovignette for a common road charging regime to be established.  We may look to this example and seek to establish a common regime between the UK and Ireland.  

While there are many issues surrounding the introduction of a common regime and it requires the support of the UK Government, I believe that such a regime may have merit given our circumstances.  Therefore, my officials have begun exploratory discussions with their UK and Northern Ireland counterparts on this potential long-term solution.  A common regime would be of benefit to HGV operators north and south of the border, rather than having two different regimes that would impose significant regulatory burdens on them.