Ms Verona Murphy:

As did everybody else, we awaited the Brexit result and we are gathering data on how it will affect us. The predominant issues are the Border and immigration. As hauliers across Europe, we are best placed to tell the committee what the roads, byways and landlocked countries entail. We are concerned that we are not being included and we will write to An Taoiseach to ask him to bring us into the consultation group. Our drivers and hauliers and anybody who takes goods from Ireland across Europe will be the most affected. We have a big concern about how North versus South will operate, particularly with regard to the competition we face against Northern operators. They do not have to pay a road toll here such as the £10 we must pay to access ten miles of the A5. They can access our fuel rebate scheme by buying diesel in the South, which gives a double competitive advantage. They get diesel cheaper than we do and have the advantage of the fluctuation in sterling. Our closest neighbours operate with a big advantage over us.

The Government gave us a reduction in road tax, which brought us in line with Northern Ireland but gave us no competitive advantage. We thought it would make us sustainable but unfortunately insurance has trebled so we have had no commercial benefit. It was badly needed and if we had not got it many of us would have gone under or, probably, reflagged.

No matter what is put forward with regard to Brexit, we will be the most affected group. We face the same regulation throughout the EU as all other member states, but we are an island nation off another island, and the effect of the tachograph regulation will mean that Irish goods are brought to market differently from what would be the case if Brexit had not occurred. If the EU decides to introduce new regulations governing tachographs we will have severe problems. We already have a severe problem in Calais, particularly regarding traffic coming to Ireland, and this will not go away. They can build the wall of China or the Berlin Wall but it will not help with this problem. It is a problem that is spread throughout the EU.

It is amplified in Calais, but we urge vigilance among all of our members regarding migrants.

Anything that will affect the operation of the tachograph regulation will be detrimental to Irish products accessing mainland Europe in the same way as other countries do. It is incumbent on the Government to remember that we are an island off an island. There should be a favourable consideration of this in the operation of the tachograph regulation, as it no longer fits the model following Brexit. It is an EU regulation and everyone must adhere to it, but we do not know what Brexit will entail. The operation may have to be remodelled, as it will be fundamental in getting our goods to market. Our travel time could take as much as 12 hours longer than it does now. This would affect our growth.