This week’s programme for government brought bad news for hundreds of farmers who get an annual subsidy of more than €100,000 from the EU.

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

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.

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.

Road hauliers have today called on the Government to meet them half-way in the Budget by tackling the problem of fuel costs and illegal fuel sale.

MOTORISTS are facing into yet another year of rising petrol prices after the price of crude oil peaked at more than $100 per barrel for the first time in two years.

ONE in every 20 vehicles could be on the road without either tax or insurance, according to data gathered by gardaí using new vehicle recognition technology.

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

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.

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.

Hundreds of trucks are today expected to wreak havoc on the already badly congested M50 in a protest over road tolls.

A PROTEST by up to 600 trucks, which will cause traffic chaos on the M50 in Dublin from 5am on Tuesday, will continue indefinitely unless the participants’ complaints are listened to by road authorities.

UP to 6,000 motorists who were expected to use the new Fermoy bypass in Co Cork every day are instead pouring through Watergrasshill, Rathcormac and Fermoy.

Influential business federation IBEC today threatened Dublin City Council with a lawsuit over its plans to bar HGVs from the capital’s streets.

ROAD hauliers have warned of industrial action over controversial plans by the government to place a limit on the height of lorries operating in Ireland.

Shore staff at Irish Ferries tonight voted in favour of industrial action in support of ships officers embroiled in a long-running dispute at the company.

Irish Ferries workers tonight vowed not to obstruct new services to relieve the build-up of trucks at ports.

Irish Ferries workers tonight vowed not to obstruct new services to relieve the build-up of trucks at ports.

Dublin port workers tonight voted to support Irish Ferries staff fighting attempts to replace them with cheaper foreign labour, by refusing to handle any of the firm’s ships.

THE Government yesterday said an EU court ruling overturning a ban on so-called super trucks would have absolutely no repercussions for Ireland.

An EU court ruling which overturned a ban on lorries using a stretch of road in Austria has no relevance to the issue of so called ‘super-trucks’ in Ireland, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Road hauliers today vowed to fight any attempts to prevent so-called "super-trucks" in Ireland after a European court ruling overturning a ban on heavy lorries in an Austrian region reignited the debate.

TRUCKERS are considering a nationwide blockade of ports next month to force the Government to act on spiralling fuel costs, it emerged yesterday.

Truckers are considering a nationwide blockade of ports next month to force the Government to act on spiralling fuel costs, it emerged today.

THE introduction of lorry road charging in Britain could cost Irish businesses €60 million a year, it was claimed yesterday.

HAULAGE companies and the Government have launched a joint action plan to clamp down on companies operating without a valid goods vehicle licence.

OPPONENTS of tolls at the new tunnel which will be built under the river Shannon near Limerick will set out their case at an oral hearing tomorrow in Limerick.

Safety issues could halt any plans to change the height of the Dublin Port Tunnel, it emerged today.

TAXI fares will jump 20% unless Transport Minister Seamus Brennan cuts the Government VAT on fuel, it was claimed yesterday.

TAXI fares will jump by 20% unless Transport Minister Seamus Brennan cuts the Government VAT on fuel, it was claimed yesterday.

Taxi fares will jump by 20 per cent unless Transport Minister Seamus Brennan cuts the Government VAT on fuel, it was claimed today.

Militant action by lorry drivers is inevitable unless fuel prices are lowered, TDs were warned today.

LORRY drivers are to stage a mass protest outside the Dáil next week as rising fuel prices reach crisis point.

TRUCK drivers are being urged to tighten up security on all their vehicles under tough anti-smuggling and trafficking guidelines.

Less than 1.7% of heavy goods vehicles that intend to use Dublin's Port Tunnel exceed the tunnel's operating height of 4.65 metres.

TRUCK drivers who use rural routes to avoid road tolls will put thousands of lives at risk, the National Safety Council (NSC) warned yesterday.

THE Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform proposes to introduce fines of €1,500 for anyone caught carrying an undocumented migrant into the State.

Road hauliers held talks with a Government representative this morning to discuss the increase in fuel duty in this week’s budget.

Hauliers have slammed the 5p increase on a litre of fuel from midnight, and have called a meeting for the weekend.

Justice Minister John O'Donoghue has announced that agreement has been reached with the Irish Road Hauliers Association about preventing illegal immigrants coming to Ireland in trucks.