Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise an matter on which I ask the Leader to arrange that Members pass a motion, lobby Ireland's MEPs or write to Mr. Hammond, who is the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport in the United Kingdom. Since 1999, various European Union directives have set common rules on distance-related tolls and time-based user charges for heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain road infrastructure. It is open to any member state to introduce road user charges if it wishes and the road user levy, which is being introduced by the United Kingdom's Parliament, applies to all heavy goods vehicles weighing 12 tonnes or more for the use of United Kingdom roads, including those in Northern Ireland. This levy is due to come into effect on 1 April 2014.

The reason I seek the passage of a motion or for Members to write to Mr. Hammond is this measure will have serious implications, particularly around Border regions, in respect of haulage companies, which are struggling to make ends meet. In a meeting with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, Mr. Hammond has agreed that approximately 7 miles of cross-Border roads between the Republic and Northern Ireland would be exempted. I suggest this is not enough. Ireland is treated as one island for CAP reform, its rugby team and the Olympic boxing team-----