asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he has any proposals before him to change the present format and conditions of the granting of merchandising licences.

I have set up a study group to consider the desirability or otherwise of general long-term measures of liberalisation of road freight transport for reward. Owing to the many complex problems involved some considerable time is likely to elapse before the study group will be in a position to furnish its final report to me. I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review or indicate whether any changes which may follow it will alter the format of merchandise licences, or the conditions of the granting of licences.

22.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power the number of licensed hauliers from Northern Ireland operating under licence in the Republic of Ireland; and if he is aware that these operators are taking away the livelihood of many people from this part of the country.

Up to 6th December, 1968, 268 merchandise licences valid for the period 1st September, 1968, to 31st August, 1969, have been issued to Northern Ireland hauliers enabling them to engage in cross-border carriage of goods for reward, excluding point to point haulage within the State.

Reciprocal facilities are granted by the Northern Ireland authorities to licensed merchandise hauliers in the State. I have no evidence that these arrangements are taking away the livelihood of any hauliers.

(Cavan): Could the Parliamentary Secretary say whether any of these licences have been issued in respect of operators who are hauling from Gypsum Works, Kingscourt, County Cavan?

This question deals with the number of licensed hauliers from Northern Ireland operating under licence in the Republic.

(Cavan): Yes, but the question asks how many licences have been issued to Northern Ireland hauliers to enable them to operate within the Republic.

Yes and my answer was 268.

(Cavan): I am asking whether any of those licences cover operators from Northern Ireland who are hauling from Gypsum, County Cavan.

As I see it, it would cover every one of them really if they are licensed for that type of haulage.

(Cavan): Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are a number of Northern Ireland hauliers hauling from this particular factory and that the result will be that local hauliers will become unemployed and will have to go out of business?

Is the Deputy making the claim that those people are coming in empty and hauling out from Gypsum?

(Cavan): Exactly.

I have no such information.

(Cavan): Would the Parliamentary Secretary be good enough to look into this problem in respect of that particular industry?

I can say that complaints of that nature covering a wide field are being looked into at present. There have been complaints that there is a certain amount of those hauliers coming in empty and taking loads out.

(Cavan): Would the Parliamentary Secretary be good enough to note that some of these hauliers may not even be operating under licence but may be operating illegally?

We will take very serious note of that.

(Cavan): Would the Parliamentary Secretary——

The Deputy has asked about five supplementary questions already.

(Cavan): This is the final one. Will the Parliamentary Secretary take a note of it and look into the matter in respect of this particular industry which I have mentioned?

Yes.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary take steps to ensure that these hauliers will not interfere with the livelihood of men in the Republic of Ireland who were employed in industries such as this?

I have just replied that we have no concrete evidence that these arrangements are taking away the livelihood of any hauliers here.

In view of the fact that CIE are catering for the haulage of only three per cent of the livestock of this country, is it the intention of the Minister and the Department to issue further licences to private hauliers throughout the country?

I have just dealt with that aspect of it under the previous question from Deputy Crowley.