Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has questioned the apparent lack of urgency surrounding the roll-out of a €100 a week subsidy for hauliers.
This money was to be provided by the Government to Irish road hauliers as part of a support scheme to tackle rising fuel costs.
Deputy Nolan was speaking after Minister Eamon Ryan’s office confirmed to the Rural Independent Group, of which she is a member, that the Department of Transport ‘is currently working to make the scheme operative’.
The Minister’s office went on to note that details on how to avail of the scheme will be communicated directly to licensed hauliers “as soon as possible” using the contact email address held on file in the Road Transport Operator Licensing Unit office, Loughrea.
“It is now 11 days since Transport Minister Eamon Ryan and his Minister of State Hildegarde Naughten announced the €18m ‘emergency’ scheme to support our hauliers during this time of absolute crisis for the sector,” Deputy Nolan said.
“Yet here we are almost a fortnight on and the Minister’s office is still unable to provide any definite date for when the €100 support, which is in itself insufficient, will be paid out.
“Minister Ryan, when he was launching the Scheme called it “an emergency support measure” for every heavy goods vehicle (over 3.5 tonnes) in the country and that it would operate for a period of eight weeks and will then be reviewed.
“Well, that emergency has only deepened in the last 11 days as costs and margins continue to be hit by inflation, fuel prices and the massive levels of instability that have been introduced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“I would urge Minister Ryan to prioritise this issue and to ensure that payments are made as soon as possible,” concluded Deputy Nolan.
SEE ALSO – Outrage over disgusting dumping in one of the most scenic parts of Laois
