Road Transport Act, 1986

Grant of carrier's licences.

3.—(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this section, the Minister shall grant, in accordance with this Act—

(a) to the holder of an existing merchandise licence (or licences) under the Principal Act a licence (to be known, and referred to in this Act, as a “national road freight carrier's licence”) or a licence (to be known, and referred to in this Act, as an “international road freight carrier's licence”) in substitution for such existing merchandise licence (or licences) and in substitution for any existing road freight certificate under regulations under the European Communities Act, 1972 , held by such person,

(b) to the holder of an existing restricted road freight licence (or licences) under the Principal Act whose principal place of business is in the State, not being a licence deemed by order under section 8 (2) (a) of the Road Transport Act, 1971 , to be a restricted road freight licence, an international road freight carrier's licence in substitution for such existing restricted road freight licence (or licences) and in substitution for the road freight certificate under regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972 , held by such licensee, and

(c) to the holder, on the commencement of this section, of a current road freight certificate issued under regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972 , who is not the holder of an existing merchandise licence (or licences) or of a restricted road freight licence (or licences) under the Principal Act who is engaged in the business of road haulage operator in an area which is an exempted area within the meaning of section 8(1) of the Principal Act (as amended before the commencement of this section), in substitution for such current road freight certificate, a national road freight carrier's licence or an international road freight carrier's licence.

(2) The granting of any licence under subsection (1) of this section shall be subject to the making of an application to the Minister for such licence and to the surrender by the applicant of the existing licence (or licences) under the Principal Act or the road freight certificate issued under regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972 (or both, as the case may be) in substitution for which the licence under subsection (1) is granted.

(3) For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section—

(a) the licence to be granted to the holder of a current national road freight certificate in substitution therefor shall be a national road freight carrier's licence;

(b) the licence to be granted to the holder of a current international road freight certificate in substitution therefor shall be a national road freight carrier's licence or an international road freight carrier's licence, as may be specified by the applicant in his application.

(4) Applications for licences under subsection (1) of this section shall comply with section 11 of the Principal Act (as amended by this Act) as if such applications were applications for merchandise licences under the Principal Act.

(5) Where a licence under this section is granted in substitution for an existing licence (or licences) or certificate, the existing licence (or licences) or certificate shall, upon the grant of the licence under this Act, stand revoked.

(6) In the period beginning two years after the commencement of this section the Minister shall, in accordance with and subject to section 11 of the Principal Act (as amended by this Act), grant a carrier's licence (as may be appropriate) to an applicant for such licence.

(7) A licence under subsection (1) or subsection (6) of this section shall expire three years after the date on which it is granted or on such earlier date as, in the opinion of the Minister, the holder ceases to comply with the requirements referred to in section 11 (1) (c) of the Principal Act (inserted by this Act), or (where appropriate) on such earlier date as from which it is duly revoked or otherwise terminated.

(8) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 5 of the Road Transport Act, 1971 ,—

(a) every existing merchandise licence, and

(b) every existing restricted road freight licence held by a person whose principal place of business is in the State, not being a licence deemed by order under section 8 (2) (a) of the Road Transport Act, 1971 , to be a restricted road freight licence,

shall stand revoked two years after the coming into operation of this section.

(9) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 5 of the Road Transport Act, 1971 ,—

(a) every merchandise licence issued after the coming into operation of this section, and

(b) every restricted road freight licence held by a person whose principal place of business is in the State and issued after the coming into operation of this section not being a licence deemed by order under section 8(2) (a) of the said Act to be a restricted road freight licence,

shall stand revoked three years after the coming into operation of this section.