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Living in difficult times
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Words / images: Patric Cunnane When Irish transport minister Noel Dempsey walked into the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) annual conference last month in Trim, Co Meath, he had a tough message to deliver.
April's forthcoming budget will aim to tackle Ireland's financial crisis: "There will be unpopular measures and your industry will face them alongside everyone else," he said. "We are living in very difficult times."
But he had warm words for the efforts that hauliers make to serve Ireland's economy. "We export 80-85% of everything we produce, and you are the industry that ensures we get to market — the problem is the market is closed. Your industry needs to be ready for the uplift when it comes and we will help."
As evidence of this help, the minister revealed that the government was planning to lift one regulatory burden on hauliers, namely the requirement to employ a full-time transport manager. The UK's system of nominated transport managers has no equivalent in the Republic of Ireland, although small companies can employ a family member as the CPC holder.
"A policy where even the smallest operator has to have a full-time transport manager is too restrictive," said Dempsey."It's policy gone mad— we have to do something to ease the regulatory burden." Dempsey said the move comes ahead of a new EU regulation on access to the road transport industry, which will allow a CPC holder to work for up to four operators with a total fleet of 50 trucks. "An operator will then he able to employ a transport manager on a part-time basis. Consultation will begin later this month to end the restriction."
At a time of change for the TRHA. with new officers elected for the next two-year cycle (see panel 'The top table'). Dempsey reflected on the presidential changeover: "Jimmy Quinn was a tough man to deal with but fair.1 am sure his successor, Vincent Caulfield, will carry on in the same way. Vincent has focused on road safety in the past, and the recent road safety launch has gone down very well. A new Health & Safety Executive report says that most hauliers get the safety message but many independent hauliers don't."
The figures were going in the right direction. "There were 250 road deaths last year, compared with 450 a few years ago," he noted.
Caulfield, the newly elected president, responded to the minister. -We are now in the most difficult times ever experienced by our industry." he said. "The legitimate licensed haulier finds it most difficult because they remain compliant and keep their vehicles to a safe standard. but they have to compete with companies that don't comply. If fuel duty is increased in the budget, the government must consider introducing an essential user rebate for licensed road hauliers" •