Vol. 485 No. 2
60 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the proposals, if any, she has to deal with the growing problem of unlicensed hauliers who account for 20 per cent of existing hauliers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22797/97]
My Department's inspectorate of nine transport officers is engaged full-time in the detection of breaches of the road haulage licensing regulations under the Road Transport Acts and of the EU Council regulations on tachograph and social hours. Where contraventions of these regulations are detected, prosecutions are initiated and pursued through the courts. The experience of transport officers on the ground suggests that illegal haulage is considerably less than 20 per cent. The Garda also have responsibility for enforcing the statutory regulations regarding the road haulage sector.
