Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our witnesses and thank them for being here, In fairness, while I was critical of the increase last week in the Seanad and today, the engagement so far is heartening and the Chair is right that time is of the essence. I raise one note of discord the timing was insensitive and it struck a very wrong note with many hard-pressed motorists.

I ask that TII reflect on that. When speaking to hauliers, bus companies or private motorists, they say that it is a cost-of-living crisis. The decision really rankled with people. I just want to put that into the public domain.

Speaking on behalf of the Irish Road Haulage Association on RTÉ radio - I am not sure if the TII representatives heard the interview - Mr. Eugene Drennan said that within the contract for the toll roads there is also a discount mechanism for volume users, which they have never given to the hauliers and never allowed it. Mr. Drennan said that his association will be seeking a meeting with TII to trash that out.

Is that an accurate comment in terms of the whole issue about volume use and discount to the hauliers who are facing huge costs, as Mr. Walsh will know?