Any attempt to increase duty on diesel in the upcoming budget would cause disproportionate hardship on rural Ireland, groups representing forecourt retail and hauliers have said.

Three adults and five children discovered in a container in Rosslare, Co Wexford, were lucky to have survived such an arduous journey, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said yesterday.

Urgent Government action is needed to tackle rising insurance costs or risk significant job losses in the transport industry.

The Irish Road Haulage Association says the Calais migrant crisis is having a detrimental affect on exports.

The Irish Road Haulage Association is criticising the Irish government for not taking the lead in relaxing rules relating to hauliers and truck drivers, in light of the Calais migrant crisis.

Irish truckers face being injured or killed as a result of the chaotic migrant situation in the French port of Calais.

The Irish Road Haulage Association is calling on the Government to take action, following yesterday's chaos at Calais port in France.

Truckers have called off the threat of a further protest after they were granted a meeting to air their grievances on the rate of road tax they pay.

Traffic delays are still affecting the capital this morning after truck drivers blockaded Dublin Port.

A truck drivers’ protest which has caused serious disruption to Dublin traffic this morning has come to an end.

A dispute over haulage rates between Roadstone Wood Ltd and sub-contract hauliers working for the company has escalated.

Eighteen sub-contract hauliers working for Roadstone Wood Ltd, in Kerry, have withdrawn their services in a dispute over haulage rates and their action may have national implications.

Publicans have warned the 10 cent increase in the cost of a pint of beer and measure of spirits will put up to 2,000 jobs at risk in the drinks sector this year.

Irish authorities have barely policed the cabotage legislation which has resulted in haulage contracts worth millions of euro being illegally awarded to foreign haulage firms who pay no taxes in Ireland.

The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has called on the State to enforce the law against some foreign hauliers who are operating illegally in Ireland.

A number of foreign haulage firms are receiving Garda escorts while they break EU legislation and put Irish drivers and haulage firms out of business, according to the Irish Road Hauliers Association.

The Irish Road Hauliers Association has welcomed the hard-won fuel rebate after months of lobbying and presenting the Government with studies showing that the move would be tax neutral.

The surge in fuel prices which saw the average cost of a litre of diesel top €1.60 is likely to represent a tipping point for many road users, especially in the haulage industry.

Sacked haulage firm workers are staging a sit-in after one of the country’s largest companies ceased trading with the loss of nearly 400 jobs.

The Irish Road Haulage Association is relatively confident it can secure a fuel tax rebate from the Department of Finance in order to combat the use of illegal fuel and inflation.

ROAD hauliers are being “pushed to the brink” because of the rising cost of motor fuel, according to the Irish Road Haulage Association.

THE exchequer is losing €200 million in potential revenue each year due to the Government’s reluctance to introduce a fuel tax rebate scheme for hauliers.

THE Irish Road Haulage Association is satisfied that the vast majority of hauliers on Irish roads are compliant with legislation governing vehicle safety, drivers’ hours and overloading.

Budget increases in fuel duties and taxes will lead to inflation and put an estimated 100 haulage companies out of business in 2011, the Irish Road Haulage Association has claimed.

The Government has today been urged to scrap road tax for heavy goods vehicles in favour of a 'pay as you go' charge for the entire national road network.

Hauliers say the Government's plans for a carbon tax are "misguided" and not enough is being done to stimulate growth of an alternative fuel industry here.

The Irish Road Haulage Association is urging the Government not to increase the duty on diesel in Tuesday's emergency Budget.

The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association is to temporarily step aside from the position following a 'Prime Time' investigation into the treatment of migrant workers.

HAULIERS have decided to call off their threat of a campaign of “civil disobedience” in protest at the new barrier-free scheme on the M50, which comes into effect this Saturday.

HAULIERS are to decide tomorrow if they will boycott tolls on the M50 barrier-free scheme, which begins next Saturday.

THE brakes have been put on threatened disruption by truckers over rocketing fuel costs and widespread unlicensed haulage operations.

Angry truckers have given the Government one week to come up measures to address the fuel crisis in their industry.

Representatives of the Irish Road Haulage Association are meeting Transport Minister Noel Dempsey today to discuss rising fuel prices.

THE country’s roads may be blockaded by lorries within a fortnight in protests similar to those paralysing Spain.

Exporters are calling on the Government to arrange high-level talks to prevent a nationwide protest by lorry drivers.

Truck drivers around the country have announced plans to mount a nationwide strike at the end of the month in protest at spiralling fuel prices.

IRELAND could find itself without a goods transport system if hauliers don’t get what they want.

A FUEL surcharge that could be passed on to customers was one of the items up for discussion at a crisis meeting of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) in Cork last night.

Up to 20 Irish truck drivers have been stranded in Cherbourg for four days after French fishermen angry at high fuel costs blockaded the port.

CONSUMER chiefs last night called on the Government to investigate why diesel is costlier than petrol despite tax incentives to lure motorists away from unleaded.

The Irish Road Haulage Association has requested an urgent meeting with the incoming Taoiseach Brian Cowen as fuel prices soar.

CIGARETTES went up by 30 cent per packet of 20 from midnight last night, but the cost of the other so-called old reliables, alcohol and petrol, have drawn criticism despite the fact they remain unchanged.

Hauliers scaled back their protest on the M50 and at Dublin Port this morning but commuters were still warned of major traffic disruption in the rush-hour.