(LRC Revised)

Number 8 of 1971

ROAD TRANSPORT ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 28 May 2019

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Road Transport Act 1971

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including

Greyhound Racing Act 2019

(15/2019), enacted 28 May 2019, and all statutory instruments up to and including

European Communities (Sheep Identification) (Amendment) Regulations 2019

(S.I. No. 243 of 2019), made 28 May 2019, were considered in the preparation of this

Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

8

of

1971

ROAD TRANSPORT ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 28 May 2019

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.

Definitions.

2.

Amendment of section 9 of Principal Act.

3.

Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act, and consequential provisions relating to

merchandise licences.

4.

Transitional provision relating to certain merchandise licences.

5.

Duration of merchandise licences.

6.

Register of merchandise licences.

7.

Licence granted to Wexford Steamships Company Limited.

8.

Licensing of international road haulage in the State.

9.

Repeals.

10.

Expenses.

11.

Commencement.

12.

Short title and construction.

SCHEDULE

Acts Referred to

Road Transport Act, 1933

1933, No. 8

Transport Act, 1944

1944, No. 21

Road Transport Act, 1934

1934, No. 17

Road Transport Act, 1935

1935, No. 23

Transport Act, 1958

1958, No. 19

Number

8

of

1971

ROAD TRANSPORT ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 28 May 2019

AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE

ROAD TRANSPORT ACT, 1933

, AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [7

th April

, 1971.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of Act extended (14.07.1986) by

Road Transport Act 1986

(16/1986), s. 16(1), S.I. No. 240 of 1986, as amended (30.08.1999) by

Road Transport Act, 1999

(15/1999), s. 14(2), S.I. No. 264 of 1999.

Powers of transport officers.

16.

—(1) A transport officer shall for the purposes of—

(a) ... the Road Transport Act, 1971 ...

have power to do any or all of the following things—

(i) at any time enter a premises or place if he has reasonable grounds for believing

that it is used for a purpose connected with road transport

[

, including the engagement or use by a person in the premises or place of the services

of an undertaking for the carriage by road for reward of merchandise in a vehicle

]

(in this section referred to as “road transport operations”) or that a vehicle used for that purpose is at the premises or in the place and inspect

the vehicle and any documents, records, books or recording equipment kept or used

in that vehicle, premises or place, as the case may be, for the purposes of road transport

operations,

(ii) at any time inspect a vehicle which is stationary and inspect any documents,

records, books, goods or recording equipment being carried in or on the vehicle or

by the crew kept or used for the purposes of road transport operations,

(iii) require any person at the premises or in the place or in the vehicle to produce

to him any document, book or record kept or used for the purposes of road transport

operations which is in the power or control of that person,

(iv) inspect, examine and take copies of or extracts from or take away, if necessary

for the purposes of inspection or examination, any document, book or record kept or

used for the purposes of road transport operations and require the person by whom

such document, book or record is kept or who produced the document, book or record

to certify a copy thereof as a true copy.

...

C2

Application of Act extended (19.08.1995) by

European Communities (International Carriage of Goods by Road) Regulations 1985

(S.I. No. 283 of 1985), reg. 2.

2. A licence or class of licence issued by the competent authority of a Member State

(other than the State) of the European Communities in the form provided for and pursuant

to Council Directive 65/269/EEC(2) (as amended by Council Directive 83/572/EEC) shall

be deemed to be a restricted road freight licence within the meaning of the Road Transport

Act, 1971.

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Application of Act extended (14.07.1986) by

Road Transport Act 1986

(16/1986), s. 16(1), S.I. No. 240 of 1986, as amended (30.08.1999) by

Road Transport Act, 1999

(15/1999), s. 14(2), S.I. No. 264 of 1999.

Powers of transport officers.

16.

—(1) A transport officer shall for the purposes of—

(a) ... the Road Transport Act, 1971 ...

have power to do any or all of the following things—

(i) at any time enter a premises or place if he has reasonable grounds for believing

that it is used for a purpose connected with road transport

[

, including the engagement or use by a person in the premises or place of the services

of an undertaking for the carriage by road for reward of merchandise in a vehicle

]

(in this section referred to as “road transport operations”) or that a vehicle used for that purpose is at the premises or in the place and inspect

the vehicle and any documents, records, books or recording equipment kept or used

in that vehicle, premises or place, as the case may be, for the purposes of road transport

operations,

(ii) at any time inspect a vehicle which is stationary and inspect any documents,

records, books, goods or recording equipment being carried in or on the vehicle or

by the crew kept or used for the purposes of road transport operations,

(iii) require any person at the premises or in the place or in the vehicle to produce

to him any document, book or record kept or used for the purposes of road transport

operations which is in the power or control of that person,

(iv) inspect, examine and take copies of or extracts from or take away, if necessary

for the purposes of inspection or examination, any document, book or record kept or

used for the purposes of road transport operations and require the person by whom

such document, book or record is kept or who produced the document, book or record

to certify a copy thereof as a true copy.

...

C2

Application of Act extended (19.08.1995) by

European Communities (International Carriage of Goods by Road) Regulations 1985

(S.I. No. 283 of 1985), reg. 2.

2. A licence or class of licence issued by the competent authority of a Member State

(other than the State) of the European Communities in the form provided for and pursuant

to Council Directive 65/269/EEC(2) (as amended by Council Directive 83/572/EEC) shall

be deemed to be a restricted road freight licence within the meaning of the Road Transport

Act, 1971.

Section

1.

Definitions.

2.

Amendment of section 9 of Principal Act.

3.

Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act, and consequential provisions relating to

merchandise licences.

4.

Transitional provision relating to certain merchandise licences.

5.

Duration of merchandise licences.

6.

Register of merchandise licences.

7.

Licence granted to Wexford Steamships Company Limited.

8.

Licensing of international road haulage in the State.

9.

Repeals.

10.

Expenses.

11.

Commencement.

12.

Short title and construction.

Number

8

of

1971