Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party)

In November 2021, I brought a truck in here to Leinster House for the same reason we are talking on this today, for the road hauliers. At a time of crisis in this country, they travelled the roads to make sure that we had food and energy in this country.

I have a letter from Martin Ryan & Sons Transport, a big haulage company in Cappamore in County Limerick and I will give a small piece of it. It contains a summary of a table outlining the key cost increases imposed by Government policy in recent years. It states that they have calculated the direct impact on their business, drivers and vehicles based on the drivers' vehicles. The company has 173 employees and operates over 100 vehicles. The letter calls for a review of the tax on transport and states the compound costs have had a severe impact on cash flow and the ability to invest in newer, cleaner vehicles and that many transport companies are now working on a razor-thin budget.

To give the Minister of State the statistics on this, from 2021, when I brought the truck in here, to 2025, the overall increase in the cost of equipment has been 40%. Government taxes on fuel are 89.56% up since 2021. Commercial vehicle roadworthiness testing, CVRT, has seen a 19% increase. Tolls have seen a 13% increase. The minimum wage has seen a 39% increase. Employers' PRSI has seen a 41%. These costs are on top of trying to keep afloat. We are wondering why the cost of living has gone up in this country. It is because of the tax implications as well.

This is where it comes to the Minister of State's responsibility, biodiversity. People are now spending €1,000 a week replacing mirrors on trucks in County Limerick because the Government will not allow the sides of the roads and the ditches to be cut for a safe path for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

See this speech in context