Hauliers may be 'forced off road' due to diesel costs

Vivienne Clarke

The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association has warned that some hauliers will be forced off the road because of the increased cost of diesel.

There needed to be immediate action from Government to support the sector, Eugene Drennan told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

Hauliers were facing “very severe difficulties” with 43 per cent operating as solo owners/drivers. “They are up against it every day to keep going.

“These are crazy times for us, it’s not just the cost of diesel”.

Mr Drennan pointed out that members of his association drove 1.9 billion kilometres every year and used 700 million litres of diesel.

“We are an island. Our supply line is vital to us because we are an island”.

Because of Ireland’s location on the westerly tip of Europe, any damage to the country’s supply line would come “at your peril”. He added that 98 per cent of freight in the country was moved by road.

Government promises that “support is on the way” needed to come about sooner, he urged. “We need more immediacy."