Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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593. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 8 of 26 June 2014, if he will provide an update on the progress of the working group considering the establishment of a HGV road-charging regime here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37814/14]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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An Interdepartmental Group was established in February of this year to assess the implications of introducing a pay-as-you-go road tax system for HGVs, in response to concerns raised by hauliers about the cost of running a haulage operation in Ireland.The Group is made up of representatives from the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Environment, Community and Local Government; and Finance; the National Roads Authority; the Road Safety Authority; An Garda Síochána; and Forfás.

The remit of the Group was to examine the technical, regulatory and economic dimensions of any pay-as-you-go charging system for HGVs in Ireland.The Group had hoped to finalise its recommendations in the summer of 2014, as previously reported by my predecessor as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

The initial work carried out by the Group has raised additional issues for their consideration, leading to a deferment in the finalisation of their report.  I have given the Group the additional time requested to complete their work to ensure that the report is as comprehensive as possible.

The Group expects to produce its report before the end of this year.