According to reports in the Irish press, IRHA President Ger Hyland described the budget measures as “the bare minimum,” noting that while the continuation of the Diesel Rebate Scheme is welcome, it falls far short of the comprehensive support package hauliers had requested.
“We asked for a fair and practical package to help hauliers survive rising costs and drive decarbonisation. What we got was the bare minimum — simply keeping an existing measure in place. That’s not progress, it’s standing still,” Hyland said, as quoted by Irish media.
The association had urged the Government to adopt a series of measures aimed at stabilising the industry and supporting the transition to cleaner fuels. In its pre-budget submission, the IRHA outlined four key priorities:
- Biofuel/FAME Rebate – A rebate on the non-fossil component of diesel, designed to offset the higher cost of blended biofuels and promote decarbonisation.
- Biofuel (HVO) Rebate – A “triple green rebate” for operators using 100% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90%.
- Continuation of the Diesel Rebate Scheme (DRS) – The IRHA called for the existing scheme to remain in place until at least 2030, to ensure supply chain stability while diesel remains essential to the Irish economy.
- M50 Toll Relief for Licensed Hauliers – The association proposed a toll relief scheme, similar to the DRS, to reduce costs for operators affected by city centre restrictions.
Hyland argued that these measures could be implemented without additional state expenditure, stressing that excessive taxation was “strangling” the sector.
“A heavy tax burden is making the haulage industry unviable. If the government doesn’t take sensible measures to save our industry, they risk killing off the very engine that keeps this economy moving. We are the wheels on Ireland’s economy. When we stop – Ireland stops,” he said.
Industry representatives also warned of worsening driver shortages ahead of the Christmas season, according to local media. The IRHA estimates that 4,000 additional drivers will be needed over the next five years to meet demand, with some companies already parking vehicles due to a lack of staff.
A spokesperson from the association’s South West Munster branch told the press that hauliers were being hit with rising fuel costs and further carbon taxes “at a time when the industry is already under extreme pressure.”
While the Government retained the Diesel Rebate Scheme for essential fuel users, the association maintains that without targeted incentives to encourage the uptake of low-carbon fuels, Ireland risks undermining both its supply chain resilience and its climate targets.
