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IRELAND WILL NOT see the same problems with shortages of lorry drivers being witnessed in the UK, the Taoiseach has said.
Micheal Martin said preparations made by the government in advance of Brexit had worked and that the UK had failed to make similar plans.
Amid warnings from hauliers that Ireland is facing a shortage of between 3,000 and 4,000 lorry drivers, the Taoiseach insisted: “We’re steady as she goes.”
Speaking from the Europort in Rosslare, Co Wexford, Martin said:
“Suffice to say from my briefings over in the port and here that the preparations that Ireland put in in advance of Brexit have worked.
“And it was done against a fairly tight timeline.
“Now there are wider issues, more than just Brexit afoot, within the UK.
“I’m not so sure the same preparations have occurred in the United Kingdom.
“I think the migration issue within the UK, the decision to, for example, create obstacles and barriers to people coming from Europe to work in the UK is a factor across the board. We don’t have that here.”
Martin said Ireland would “take nothing for granted”, and highlighted the need for more training courses and programmes for HGV drivers and the haulage industry.
“We need to be flexible in terms of people coming in to Ireland to want to work in this sector,” he said.
Asked if Ireland could avoid the situation seen in the UK, where driver shortages have seen petrol pumps run dry and left supermarket shelves empty, Mr Martin replied: “Yes, that is our ambition, that is our determination. Yes, we can.”
He said: “We’re steady as she goes, and as far as we’re concerned, we’re not getting the same impacts as are currently happening in the UK.”
Martin said the UK’s problems were down to more than just Brexit, but that its departure from the EU had made the situation worse.
“There’s no doubt that the bounce-back of the European economy and the global economy in terms of Covid-19 has created a whole lot of disruption to supply chains,” he said.
“So to be fair to everybody, there’s a broader issue than just Brexit.
“But I think the Brexit situation has exacerbated the situation in the UK, in terms of personnel for HGV drivers and so on, and indeed other sectors of the UK economy.
“We don’t have that sort of issue here. We’re part of the European single market, the free movement of people and so on.
“That’s a help to us in respect of any shortages that arise in certain sectors.”
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We still have an aging truck driver population, with few younger drivers coming through the ranks.
Only a matter of time.
She’ll be grand!!
@Jason Dawson: To be fair it’s not just truck drivers. It’s the same problem with bus drivers.
@Jason Dawson: Was just going to comment asking does anyone know any lorry drivers in their 20s or even 30s? I’m sure there are a few but we need some insentive for people to join an admittedly tough line of work before it gets to be a critical situation like our near neighbours.
@Patrick Corr: I agree totally.
@Longlin: it was only a few short years ago, new HGV driver under 25 could not even get insurance to drive.
Surely the target age to recruit young drivers should have been those under 25′s.
I agree with you , some meaningful incentives can only help the current situation.
@Longlin: there we as a number of barriers put in place like insurance for one but also the future prospects of the profession being fully automated in the next 10/15 years so it’s not a long terms career I guess. This probably explains why the youth of today in most EU countries are not taking it up as a career. Hence the reliance on immigrants in the short terms before automation
@Jason Dawson: The problem the way I see it Jason is that no younger people are attracted to the business. Younger people (mid twenties) are looking to meet someone start a family etc. Driving unsociable hours in bad conditions is not conducive to a family life.
The divorce level of truck and bus drivers is shockingly high.
Proper wages and conditions problem solved.
Over next 3 to 5 years, there will be a lot of drivers retiring from this thankless job. In the last few years , the standard of drivers has changed. Few young people getting into the industry. Why ? PAY and CONDITIONS is the main problem. After 25 years behind the wheel , I personally am considering packing it in too. Rates have been cut to the bone . Supermarkets have a lot to do with this.
@Mark G: whats the weekly take home pay for what hours worked?
Aside from the discussion of Brexit Rosslare Europort is booming as a cyclist I cycle to Rosslare frequently and it’s nothing but trucks every few seconds up and down the main road it must be absolute hell for homeowners living near the road with the sound of trucks wooshing past. That road is old and very noisy new roads nowadays are more silenced so I think the new proposed motorway link from Oilgate to Rosslare needs to happen asap
@: Would be great to see that stretch of the motorway finished alright and more freight come through Rosslare, could also use the rail line to move the containers up the east coast to lessen the need for trucks (this would need to be done at night to reduce impact on DART and commuter trains).
@The next small thing: the only problem with turning Rosslare into a freight depot would be the cost implications gantry cranes etc and and short extension to the rail line to the freight yard. Then the freight train would have to operate at night to not interfere with regular intercity trains and DART. Saying all that if freight was on rail it would take a load of trucks off the road. The new freight service from Ballina to Waterford port will take up to 5000 truck movements a year off the road.
The only thing Martin can guarantee is that rain falls from the sky,his word is hardly his bond.
@Paul Mc: it’s is to the bond holders. Zing
The problem is definitely wages and conditions but also them stupid cpc courses that we are forced to do yearly a absolute waste of time and effort.
Same thing every year and teaches you nothing.
Just Jobs for the boys that’s all it is .
@The Ledge. (John): that’s exactly why I left the industry, mid 40′s.
Nonsensical cpc’s, ridiculous hours rules and treated as a bottom feeder.
Getting better money and hours as a building labourer.
No regrets.
Ah no, I’ll have to buy the family Xmas pressies now!
Who was it that said ‘never believe anything until it has been officially denied’?
If there is no driver shortages here in Ireland why is a prominent logistics company offering 2k sign on fee, Or why is the IRHA looking to bring drivers in from South Africa.
For years the profession has gone downhill excessive hours and low wages, Some drivers got paid a daily rate of pay of €120 so the driver could be working up to 15hrs a day for that.
If only could the self entitled out of bed
@Gerard Heery: You mean like the banks ,multi nationals who can escape with not paying taxes..Varadkar stated ..social welfare cheats , cheats us all. What Varadkar failed to mention was the Multi Nationals that with the blessing of his government cheat this country out of Billions in unpaid taxes, or the Bank bailed out by Billions of taxpayers money , then blame people on social welfare.
@Donal Desmond: exactly and revenue backed down the other day made some cock and bull story about not having all the facts so money owed went from 1.5 billion to 260 million. Probably after a phone call.
If the British hadn’t a truck driver shortage, we in Ireland wouldn’t even be discussing out driver shortage now.
not what the hauliers association were saying
Pay them a good wage with good conditions and you will get good drivers
Straight swap of licenses from other countries must happen
@Jonathan O’Riordan: It happens already for all EU national. And thats not even the problem. The problems are. 1. An aging driver workforce. 2. Eastern European drivers are leaving to return home.
@Jonathan O’Riordan: problem with that is , there is no way of checking whether foreign drivers have convictions or points on licence.
@Mark G: There is or use to be anyway before the licencing was privatised, When the local councils operated the licence issue if someone was exchanging their licence for an Irish one the authorities here would contact the licensing authorities in that person’s home country.
And he’d know I presume
Must be planning to do a cj haughy on it. Anyone with a provisional license bumped up to full. Paper exercise.
3 years are too long for points to stay on a truck drivers license when they are on the road all the time. Also it becomes impossible for them to insure their own car.
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