190 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the terms of reference of the steering committee on the haulage industry established in 2000; when she expects its report and recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27776/01]

204 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the terms of reference of the steering committee on the haulage industry chaired by her; the composition of its membership; the progress it is making in its deliberations; when she expects the committee's report and recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27782/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 204 together.

Last February I published a programme of action for the road haulage industry. This programme resulted from the work of a task force which was established by the Taoiseach to respond to the problems of the road haulage industry and builds on the recommendations of the report A Strategy for the Successful Development of the Irish Road Haulage Industry, published in 1999. The programme of action is designed to make a major contribution to the development of a vibrant road haulage sector which meets the highest professional and safety standards. It identifies a wide range of specific actions to be addressed by various State agencies and the road haulage industry that will increase the professionalisation of the sector and strengthen the enforcement of legislation applying to the road haulage industry.