asked the Minister for Communications if he will consider increasing the penalties for private bus operators who are operating scheduled road passenger services without a licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Green Paper on Transport Policy, which was published on 28 November, devotes a chapter to private sector involvement in road passenger public services. As explained in that document I initiated a review of the Road Transport Act, 1932, because in part of the growing number of operations of questionable legal standing.

The review will, naturally, take account of the penalties prescribed in the Act. The contraventions which might be subject to penalty and the scale of penalties would depend on whatever policies emerge from the review, the outcome of which I could not forecast at present.

The question arises from the Green Paper on Transport Policy, section 316, which indicates that, despite successful prosecutions of those running illegal bus services, the business has expanded, presumably on the basis that it is profitable.

Will you come to the question please?

Clearly the profit incentive is there to run illegal bus services. Does the Minister not consider that the law as it stands should be made effective and should not be allowed to be abused or ignored simply on the basis that a review is taking place?

I very much agree with what the Deputy said but unfortunately the question of enforcement is not one for my Department, except in limited respects in connection with the tachograph regulations of the EC. At the moment an interdepartmental working group are looking at the question of enforcement not only in the area of road passengers but of road freight traffic. I am convinced that there is a great deal of abuse and evasion which would be helped by a co-ordinated inspectorate dealing not only with road passenger legislation but also with road freight legislation, road traffic legislation and perhaps revenue legislation, together with EC social regulations. At present there are several different inspectorates supposed to be doing different jobs all impinging on transport, but very few are doing their jobs because separately they do not have the necessary resources, but if they were combined they would provide a much more efficient service.

Have there been many applications by private bus owners for licences for scheduled services?

This question deals with fines. We cannot discuss bus transport right across the board.