Mr. Paul Jackman:

In our meetings with RSA we found some of the drivers from South African have licences from Zimbabwe and Botswana and the RSA will not accept them. It is for the RSA's own reasons, including training. The only country outside of the EU that Ireland has a bilateral agreement with is South Africa. We are getting drivers from South Africa who have already come to the EU and gone through a far simpler process elsewhere, gotten a licence in Poland and are driving in Poland and then come to Ireland. It suits hauliers because, as Mr. Hyland referenced, of the process here. During the past few days a haulier contacted us knowing we were attending at this committee and gave examples of, not only the duration, but of South African men he has living in his yard, one of them for 12 months at least. There is a truck in the yard for him but he has not finished the due process yet.