Fuel hikes causing concern for businesses

WITH fuel prices soaring, Clare businesses say they need support to meet the extra cost.
Eoin Gavin, a haulier based in Bunratty and a member of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said the body would be seeking a meeting with several members of the new Cabinet.

“We are looking for an immediate meeting with the taoiseach, the new transport minister and the new finance minister. You might have seen that some of our members were threatening to block roads, guys are at the pin of their collar and they’re frustrated,” he explained.
He said costs to his own business have increased by in the region of €10,000 a month due to increased fuel prices and the cost was making Irish hauliers uncompetitive. “We’re very busy with exports but we’ve had to increase costs by 15% and what’ll happen is that we’ll end up with Eastern European hauliers here, who don’t pay any tax in Ireland, who have cheap trucks, cheap fuel bills and cheap labour.”
Mr Gavin said that what the hauliers want is an essential users’ rebate scheme, which would allow them to claim back a percentage of their fuel costs and which would allow hauliers to claim back a percentage of their costs each year.
He also said jobs in the industry would be lost if there is no action on rising prices.
Seán McLoughlin drives a hackney at Shannon Airport and he said the increase infuel prices was very serious. “If you’re on the road every day, you’re now paying up to €1.50 for fuel and we can’t put up our prices because people can’t afford it. The amount we pay for a licence has increased from €15 to €250, an NCT has to be done every year and that’s €50 but after that your car has to do a suitability test and that’s another €125. Road tax and insurance have gone up and it’s very hard to make a living. A lot more people will pack it in and go on the dole unless they remove the carbon tax. It’s crippling,” he said.
Rita McInerney of Ennis Chamber said fuel costs were very important to competitiveness. “There certainly would be concern about the cost of oil and if the international situation continues, it could be even more serious. The cost of fuel is important for exports and it’s one of many issues that the new Government need to look at.”
She said the State’s take from fuel prices needs to be looked at. “In this climate, we are seeing increases in taxes but you can’t cut or tax your way out of a recession and there shouldn’t be any increases in fuel tax and if there were cuts in terms of tax haulage and other companies that use a lot of fuel would benefit.”