Does the Minister agree that the introduction of comprehensive legislation is urgent? Under the legislation prepared by the National Coalition hauliers drawing six tons or under would be exempt from the regulations and in view of that many people were looking forward to the introduction of it. The people concerned only carried out work in their own area, a succession of the carter system.

I am not in a position to give an indication of the content of the Bill which will be introduced but it is my intention to introduce it in the near future.

In view of the anomalies and difficulties in relation to the various aspects of road transport raised in the House and in view of the fact that the Minister has stated that he intends introducing a Bill dealing with road transport in the near future, would the Minister not agree that the time has arrived to take a comprehensive look at the question of transport here? Would the Minister agree that the desirable approach should not be to introduce a succession of patchwork transport Bills such as happened in the past but to carry out the comprehensive review I suggested and that further transport legislation should be within the context of the overall national guidelines?

The Deputy will recall that in reply to previous questions I pointed out that we were setting up an advisory body to advise on this matter.

I am aware of that but I want the Minister to tell the House if the proposed Bill will be based on the advice he has got or will it be a separate matter?

The advisory body has not been set up yet.

I believe I am correct in saying that the Taoiseach, and possibly the Minister, announced recently that a Bill dealing with road transport would be introduced soon. The Minister has told the House that he was not sure what the content of that Bill would be, but I should like to know in what substantial respect will it differ from the Bill dealing with road transport which was on the Order Paper for the 20th Dáil and lapsed when that Dáil was disolved?

I could not give an answer to that.

The Minister must be aware in what respect that Bill is not satisfactory. If it is satisfactory why not reinstate it?

When the new Bill is introduced we will have an opportunity of discussing it fully.

This question is not on the Order Paper and it would not be accepted as a Private Notice question.

The question refers to a Bill dealing with road transport which the Taoiseach and the Minister said would be introduced shortly. The Taoiseach said it would resemble, although not be indentical with, the Bill dealing with road transport which lapsed with the last Dáil. I want to know from the Minister the substantial respects in which it will be different from the last Bill, if any, or is this another cosmetic exercise to try to pretend that it is new legislation and not National Coalition legislation?

I do not think that is a reasonable question.

Can we take it that in view of the unsatisfactory position at present regarding merchandise licences and the considerable confusion that now exists following the introduction of the last Bill the Minister will act with all speed in introducing this Bill?

Why can the Minister not bring in the old Bill and amend it as it goes through the House?