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THE VOLUME OF trucks arriving in Ireland is around 50% lower than in previous years, State officials have said, which is partly due to post-Brexit checks creating an obstacle for deliveries from Great Britain.
This is also partly due to Covid-19 travel disruption: not as many ferries are operating, and shops are closed in Ireland during Level 5 restrictions, and require less goods.
An increase in trading is expected over the coming weeks, officials said.
At a briefing at Dublin Port today, head of Customs Operations at Dublin Port Tom Talbot said that the volumes of trucks delivering goods into Ireland was much lower this year than in the same time period in previous years.
The first freight deliveries being transported into Ireland was mostly perishable goods, media at the briefing were told, and that more goods with a longer shelf life are expected in the coming weeks.
Eddie Burke from the Department of Transport said that the cause of non-Covid delays was a “lack of preparedness, particularly in the UK; in some cases extreme pressure on customs agencies; and the difficulty in some cases in adapting to a new system of customs arrangements”.
Disruption to the food supply chain hasn’t happened partly because of stockpiling done by supermarkets ahead of time, and supplies are still coming into the country.
Talbot said that 80% of trucks have been ‘green routed’ through the Dublin Port in the past few days.
Customs declarations need to be made ahead of time, while a health cert needs to be presented for all agri-food goods. Talbot said that if a truck is orange or green routed, then customs, the HSE, or Department of Agriculture will need to approve the consignment.
“If documents are not there, the reality is there will be delayed for both truck drivers and goods.”
As an example, Talbot said that of 26 trucks held in Terminal 11 this morning, and no driver was there for longer than five hours. He said that there have been cases of drivers being delayed for 24 hours, but this has only happened in one, two or three cases.
In response to reports from hauliers of serious disruption and delays, Talbot said they are “not delays per se”.
“A lot of this is going to be business as usual: that we’re required to do physical checks and required to do document checks. So that, I wouldn’t say, is a delay – that I would say is very much the new norm as part of EU business – but our job is to minimise that.”
“Some do leave the Ports [without going through the required checks], it’s not done deliberately, people are learning.”
Hazel Sheridan from the Department of Agriculture said that the volume of calls coming through with questions about the new post-Brexit system have been “quite low”, and encouraged businesses and hauliers to get in touch with their questions.
There have been cases of drivers leaving the Port when checks were required, but these were described as not deliberate. Sheridan said that those incidents were “innocent mistakes more than anything else”.
“The UK left the European Union on 31, so there is no scope for pausing [new checks required],” Talbot said.
Last week, Revenue announced that they would temporarily ease a safety and security requirement (an ENS number, which is needed before boarding a ferry), and businesses will be given a generated one to help continue the movement of goods.
But this is accompanied by the expectation that help will be sought by businesses who have not yet requested one.
Talbot said that they were “absolutely not” at the limit of their flexibility and though they had no plans for easing further checks and requirements, they understand the difficulties faced by hauliers and businesses: “We have legal requirements like everyone else, but we understand that this is new for everybody.”
move the dogs, blame is with the ‘owner’
@Cornelius Murphy: Here’s a report from a few months ago:
The neighbour who was attacked luckily was not injured:
“He said it lasted 20 – 30 seconds but he did not suffer physical injuries. However, he described it as a very traumatic event, adding that it was lucky no children were in the vicinity.”
Mr Hamdi wasn’t at home when his dogs escape his house:
“The court also heard, that went Mr Hamdi was away, they attended the scene and found the front door to his house open.”
Gardai arrived after the attack:
“The court heard that after complaints, Gardai found the door to Hamdy’s home was open, and no one came out for 20 minutes.”
Somehow the door to his house was left opened, or was opened, while Mr Hamdi was away.
“However, he did not see what happened and told Gardai that the dogs must have opened the front door to get out. Later, he claimed there had been a break-in at his home, which caused the German Shepherds to escape.”
“Hamdy said he reported it to Gardai when he noticed damage to his door and objects missing from his house”
1. He left his door open when he left and his dogs escaped
2. Somehow his dog opened the door and his dogs escaped
2. His house was burgled and his dogs escaped.
There is a long running neighbour dispute over the dogs, they previously escaped after a storm blow down a fence.
@Cornelius Murphy: It’s the only sure deterrent to other dogs. Capital punishment works.
Strange choice of terminology: dogs aren’t executed, and they certainly aren’t put on death row. If this is meant to be humorous, it’s not in the best taste.
@Brendan O’Brien: I… agree… with… Brendan. See? We can all get along – we don’t have to agree on EVERYTHING. The terminology used in this article is indeed very strange, and immature, that’s at best – it’s deliberately provocative at worst. I’m almost surprised they didn’t call the Judge the ‘Governor’, or mention the Electric Chair. WEIRD.
Dogs are amazing creatures who thrive on human interaction. As usual people are blaming the wrong end of the lead.
Most amazing breed in the right hands, like all dogs. Had to put my beloved GSD down after 10 years last month. Adopted a 7 month old GSD last week. Very loyal and protective breeds. I blame their owner here! Probably never did any proper obedience training and probably couldn’t handle two large dogs either..
Just shoot them. It could be a child next time.
@John Mulligan: We don’t shoot dogs in this country. They are euthanised in a humane manner.
@Michael Burke: A bullet can be humane. It is quick and painless.
@Honey Badger: Fake account.
They were caught easily as Gardai had several leads to follow
Hardly suitable living surroundings for two large German Shepherds.Other residents with children will certainly be anxious. If they attack children an apology won’t cut it.
Why postpone the correct decisions once a dog attacks they will do so again
German Shepherds are not aggressive by nature. They are made that way by the owners. I write this as mine is laid next to me with his head in my lap. The judge is wrong. These dogs could be retrained and rehomed.
@Andrew Harrington: A dog is like children # there only as good as the People around them. End
Put them down ffs end of
‘sentenced to death’, ‘execution’, ‘death row’. A bit dramatic?
just deport them to South Korea they’ll find a nice home there
Comments open on a court case?!
A chilli pepper lorean sauce called gochujang goes well with their meat.
@Coc Caled: Sick
Is this for real ? Put these beasts down…imagine the victim was a little child….
Hate those dogs. Oh but they are clever.
Yeh clever that they need muzzles
@louise ryan: why do you hate them????
Its time for a one way trip to the glue factory.
@Paul: Your barking up the wrong tree
Dogs are being treated quite ruff-ly
So we’re even bestowing the partner partner onto dogs now. When will this i dio cy every end?
There’s no such thing as an alsation.
have your say