asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that considerable hardship and delay is arising from the action of the Gardaí in holding up private lorries used for the conveyance of live stock; and if he will issue the necessary instructions to prevent interference with such traffic during the present fuel crisis.

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the enforcement by the Gardaí of the provisions of the Road Transport Act which prohibit the carriage of merchandise for reward by unlicensed carriers. I do not intend to instruct the Gardaí to relax the enforcement of these provisions.

In this connection I would refer the Deputy to a reply given by the Minister for Industry and Commerce on the 20th instant to a question by Deputy Mulcahy.

I am not blaming the Guards for doing their duty, but surely they should be told that during an emergency they should not hold up private lorries which are delivering stock. There is delay enough without holding them up, taking names and threatening prosecutions.

That is the monopoly, of course, of Córas Iompair Éireann.