8.—(1) The Department is hereby designated as the allocation body for Northern Ireland.
(2) Pursuant to paragraph (1) the Department shall procure publication of a notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities containing the following particulars –
(a)the name of the allocation body and the address to which applications for the allocation of infrastructure capacity should be sent; and
(b)the classes or descriptions of applications for access or transit rights in respect of which the allocation body is to act as such.
(3) The allocation body shall give directions to the infrastructure manager for the purpose of ensuring that railway infrastructure capacity is allocated on a fair and non-discriminatory basis.
(4) The allocation body may give directions to the infrastructure manager for the purposes of ensuring that priority in the allocation of infrastructure capacity is given to rail services that are pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1191/69 on public service obligations in transport(1).
(5) Where the allocation body has given a direction which imposes a particular allocation of infrastructure capacity pursuant to paragraph (4) in the interests of public service, and which results in the infrastructure manager sustaining financial loss, it shall pay to the infrastructure manager such compensation in respect of the loss as the allocation body thinks fair and reasonable in the circumstances of the case.
(6) The allocation body may give directions to the infrastructure manager requiring the grant of access or transit rights to railway undertakings providing particular types of services or providing services in particular areas if in its opinion the grant of such rights is indispensable to secure the provision of adequate public services, the efficient use of railway infrastructure or the financing of new railway infrastructure.
O.J. No. L156, 28.6.69, p. 1. Amended by Regulation (EEC) No. 1893/91 (O.J. No. L169, 29.6.91, p. 1)