This morning the Dublin Port Tunnel was essentially closed due to a protest by hauliers over the recent budget.
The Irish Road Haulage Association mounted the action this morning saying politicians are not listening to their members concerns about their rising business costs, most notably the cost of road tax. To tax a truck for the year in the Republic costs €4000, while in Northern Ireland its £640. This on top of other issues.
While I fully support the concerns of the IRHA, is it not fair to say, that by blocking the roads and causing traffic chaos for other road users, is a kin to shooting yourself in the foot in relation to garnishing public support.
I remember the Taxi drivers did it years ago and how furious I was with them for their inconsiderate action.
If the transport industry really wanted to make an impact and really wanted to get peoples attention, surely they need to do the opposite. They need to take the trucks off the road. Could you imagine if every truck driver in the land refused to go to work for 3 or 4 days? The public would think this is great for the first day when there are no trucks on the road but come day two when there is no fuel in the garages, no stock in the shops, no waste collections, no laundry collections from hospitals and hotels etc etc etc and the economy comes to an abrupt and sudden stop… would this not make every politician in the land sit up and pay attention a lot better than pi$$ing of a load of commuters first thing on a Monday morning. Then we as underappreciated professional truck drivers, could name our price! Alas I guess I can just dream on…
Fully agree with your idea mate! People always giving out about trucks and they should be banned here, there and everywhere. Stop everything for a few days and we will see how useless trucks are the ay? 
Maybe one day 
Sorry but never heard anyone say that it’s always tractors people say should be banned imagine if all lorry drivers and farmers stopped working for a week 
irish lorries:
Sorry but never heard anyone say that it’s always tractors people say should be banned imagine if all lorry drivers and farmers stopped working for a week
Seriously? There is 3 ton limits popping up all the time
AlfieJones:
irish lorries:
Sorry but never heard anyone say that it’s always tractors people say should be banned imagine if all lorry drivers and farmers stopped working for a weekSeriously? There is 3 ton limits popping up all the time
Sorry yes I have noticed those 
I was in the port at Dublin this morning before the protest started. Nothing could leave and my boat was an hour and a half late leaving. 
Why is it 4 grand euro (3 grand British pounds?) to tax a wagon in Northern Ireland when it’s £700-1200 odd quid here?
Road tax prices are scandalous in the Republic even for cars.
My old man pays somewhere around 350 euro for his 3 year old Skoda Octavia, here it would be about £100.
I believe things like Range Rovers can be over 2500 euro a year
Silver_Surfer:
Why is it 4 grand euro (3 grand British pounds?) to tax a wagon in Northern Ireland when it’s £700-1200 odd quid here?
he said £640 in the North, 4000euro in the south SS.
Remember Ireland came perilously close to going bust not so long ago. Government has to get money back into the piggy bank somehow and I guess road tax is an easy target as it’s not so easy to avoid.