Irish drivers critical of government's delay in Calais crisis
The Irish Road Haulage Association is criticising the Irish government for not taking the lead in relaxing rules relating to hauliers and truck drivers, in light of the Calais migrant crisis.
120 extra French police officers were drafted in overnight to protect the Channel Tunnel terminal in Calais, after more migrants tried to break into it in the early hours.
The UK has announced that truck drivers affected by the situation will not face fines for breaching rules under tachograph legislation.
President of the IRHA, Verona Murphy, said they are disappointed Ireland did not lead the charge on the issue.
"This is something that the IRHA led with as an initiative to the Irish Government over a month ago, [they] said it wouldn't work," she said.
However, in a statement issued today, the Department of Transport said it has been liaising with UK and French authorities.
It stressed the Minister could only invoke the exemption within his own territory - in Ireland - and it would not have applied to drivers delayed by disruption in the UK or France unless the Ministers there also created the exemption..
"We welcome the measure … which allows for a temporary and limited exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours for drivers whose journeys are delayed due to disruption or industrial action at Calais," the Department said.
The Minister, Paschal Donohoe, wrote this week to the EU Transport Commission and his French counterpart expressing his concern, the statement said.
