Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I am sorry I was not here for the start of the presentations. I am delighted to welcome the witnesses. I have to declare that I have a small haulage business. I understand the problems and the regulations by which hauliers have to abide. I am glad to hear the witnesses putting to bed the idea of equalisation and having diesel at the same price as petrol in the absence of a proper rebate system. As Ms Murphy stated, hauliers are operating on very slim margins and are only barely keep going. They have to be complimented because there are many new trucks on the roads and they are very effective in keeping down emissions. Older trucks did not have AdBlue and were not as effective. Most trucks are operating in Third World countries. We are all in the same world. Whatever good or bad is in them, they will operate for a long time because they have massive engines. What I know about these new engines is that they are great. AdBlue costs a lot of money. If something happens to these engines, they are way more expensive to repair. Fellows have told me that they are not repairable. They have also stated that the engines have to be replaced if something goes wrong because it is so costly to repair them.

I am glad we have been given the presentation. Some Deputies seemed to exit very fast when they realised the lorries of today hardly create any emissions or any damage to the country. I know some Deputies would like us to go back to using horses and carts-----