The Irish Road Haulage Association has responded with “deep disappointment” to comments made to the Oireachtas Transport Committee on the matter of green diesel / marked gas oil.
The parties who presented to the Oireachtas Committee today – IFA, PAC, Irish Petroleum Retailers Association and the Revenue Commissioners – have advocated the continuation of the colouring of diesel thereby directly supporting criminality which is growing at an unprecedented level, said the organisation.
In the IRHA’s presentation to the committee earlier in January it was pointed out that there is an opportunity to resolve this issue overnight via the abolition of green diesel whilst increasing Government revenues.
The IRHA has argued that the myriad of negative elements associated with having green fuel available can only be remedied through the implementation of a fuel rebate scheme for essential users which already exists for the fishing industry.
President of the IRHA Eoin Gavin stated ” There appears to be no other option but to proceed with our proposed protest action on the week of the 20th of February in order to draw public attention to the Government’s willingness to fuel criminality and the resultant decimation of the haulage industry in Ireland”.