Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support this financial resolution. Most Deputies throughout the country have been contacted in the last couple of months by various companies in the haulage business. I appreciate the fact that they contacted us, ran a good campaign and stated their case very clearly. Some of us were shocked at the anomalies between the North and the South when they told us what they were. That helped, because we cannot know everything about every business unless somebody approaches us about it.

In simple English the rate of motor tax has been reduced for all vehicles over 4,000 kg, which is four tons in my language and the language of many others. There is a new annual rate of €500 for vehicles between four tons and 12 tons and a rate of €900 for vehicles over 12 tons. That will be appreciated. Many haulage companies in Ireland operate on an all-island basis, travelling back and forth to the Six Counties, and across the channel in competition with haulage companies from Northern Ireland. We are all aware of the difficulties many of them experienced at Calais over the summer, and they approached us about that second issue too. They felt people did not appreciate their difficulties.

It is good the Minister has brought forward this measure and I am pleased to support it. It will be well received.

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