Sinn Féin spokesperson on Transport, Darren O’Rourke TD, has called for an urgent meeting of the Oireachtas Transport Committee to address the impact of skyrocketing fuel costs on the transport sector.

The Meath East TD said:

“Today I’ve written to the Oireachtas Transport Committee to request an urgent meeting on the impact of the fuel costs emergency on the transport and logistics sector.

“With prices now over two euro per litre at the pumps and rising, the haulage, taxi, bus and coach sectors need urgent action from this Government.

“The fuel costs emergency risks forcing many in the transport sector, particularly smaller operators, out of business. That is a very real prospect.

“These are essential services – essential to the transport of goods and the mobility of communities. They need to be supported at this time.

“The emergency is also having a major impact on motorists, particularly those in rural Ireland who have no public transport alternatives.

“There seems to be no sense of urgency in Government Buildings to resolve this escalating situation that is impacting the entire transport network.

“The haulage sector met with the Minister for Transport last month and put forward a proposal to expand the diesel rebate scheme to help hauliers through the current situation.

This was rejected, but the government has brought forward no alternatives.

“While some factors feeding fuel price rises are out of the hands of the government, others are not. Despite this, we have absolutely no action to date. It’s completely unacceptable.

“The government need to stop sitting on their hands and introduce measures to help mitigate the impact of skyrocketing fuel costs.”