Road hauliers fighting to survive

THE news from Brussels on our new fishing quotas is indeed welcome, the more so because of the economic situation.

Minister Simon Coveney is to be congratulated. Mr Coveney might now look at the means and cost of getting these catches to markets, both of which are controlled here in Ireland and not Brussels. The hauliers who will do that job are under huge onslaught from this government, which in the budget increased both the cost of fuel and road tax on our trucks. The register of licensed hauliers has seen a decrease of 25% in the last two years and of those remaining, their fleets have been significantly reduced.

In the budget Minister Michael Noonan chose to increase road tax to such an extent that it now costs €3,300 for the average truck engaged in carrying our fish to market whilst our Northern Irish hauliers will pay £600 to £800 per annum. The average truck holds 1,500 litres (which they use per week) and this has risen to €1.32 (wholesale) whilst central heating oil costs €0.89 per litre of which the average household will use 2000 litres pa, the minister has chosen to protect the latter.