Martin McGuinness
FINE Gael deputy Joe McHugh has launched a scathing attack on Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness over the HGV levy on Donegal truckers.
Deputy McHugh said the northern administration hadn’t done enough to help southern HGV drivers.
“In response to a Parliamentary Question I submitted in relation to the UK HGV Levy to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD, the Minister confirmed that the urgent matter was discussed at the recent North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and he has established a working group to examine the feasibility of introducing a similar pay-as-you-go road tax scheme for HGVs in Ireland,” said deputy McHugh.
“Similar to the Eurovignette system which is in place in Europe, a common road charging regime would be established where only one charge is applied to a number of different countries’ roads.
“This legislation has been in place since 1 April 2014 and is causing daily concern for hauliers driving on Northern roads and who have received no clarity from the Northern Assembly around how the Levy will be enforced or regulated as the secondary legislation has yet to be agreed.
“This is why I have been calling on Martin McGuinness and Sinn Fein in Government to leave aside other motives they may have and focus on what is best for people trying to run their businesses. I commend the Minister on raising the same point this morning in the Chamber.
“We need to address this issue head on and drive a solution forward as currently there is very little movement and it is the hard working hauliers and businesses that are being affected. I am calling on Sinn Fein in Government as a party to work with their colleagues in the Assembly, as well as in the South and in Westminster, in pushing forward a viable policy.
“It has been recognised that this legislation, which is a UK Levy, is within their rights to introduce under EU law, however concessions could be considered around either a derogation of certain key roads in the North, or a common road charge between Britain and Ireland which would allow hauliers North and South of the border to travel without charges.
“Before the secondary legislation is introduced in the North, I would urge all sides involved to engage genuinely and constructively so we can come up with a resolution which won’t have a negative impact on the Hauliers industry. And not to ignore the urgency of the matter as the legislation has taken effect and drivers are now left in a constant state of uncertainty.”
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