Brexit transport, agriculture concerns raised by haulier boss to Finnish MEP
PRESIDENT of the Irish Road Haulage Association Verona Murphy from Ramsgrange, was among representatives of the Irish haulage industry who met Finnish Member of the European Parliament, Nils Torvalds recently at a meeting in Dublin organised by Independent MEP Marian Harkin to discuss problems associated with Brexit.
Ms Murphy said she was delighted to meet Deputy Norvalds, who was previously in Belfast meeting local lobby groups.
The Finnish deputy was nominated in early June to contest the upcoming Presidency of Finland.
Ms Murphy said: ‘Over lunch at the Red Cow Inn we discussed how Brexit would cause such an imposition on north, south, east and west, as well as how it would jeopardise the fragility of the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.’
Ms Murphy told Deputy Ni- lands that Irish hauliers believe that a special status is needed for transport and agriculture related businesses and for the free movement of people for hospital treatment and education purposes. ‘I said a border isn’t required and that what is important is how the process is undertaken.’
Ms Murphy said the problem of Irish hauliers getting large fines remains in the UK, mentioning how one Irish company is now facing a €20,000 fine after ten refugees boarded one of its trucks in the UK. In March thousands of people visited the Irish Road Haulage Association conference in Wexford, with Brexit high on the agenda. At the conference Ms Murphy highlighted the need for hauliers to be included in discussions on any binding deals that are made about tolls and other costs for travel through Britain.