Irish Road Haulage Association calls for abolition of the RSA
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has called for the abolition of the Road Safety Authority (RSA), saying it is not fit for purpose.
The call came at the IRHA Annual Conference in Galway at the weekend. IRHA President, Ger Hyland commented: “We need the Government to abolish and replace the RSA. It is not fit for purpose across any of its responsibilities.
“The failure to reform the RSA is damaging our country and our economy. It should be an urgent priority for the Government to replace this ineffective body. Changes to the RSA cannot come soon enough.”
He continued: “Earlier this year I lambasted the RSA in the media as not being fit for purpose in how they run our driver testing system.
“Minister Canney gave them three months to fix the testing system. The RSA then simply moved testers from commercial tests to car testing – further exacerbating the driver shortage issue for our industry. You could not get a commercial driving test in this country in May for love nor money.”
Being driven off the road by punishing government taxes, charges and levies
Mr. Hyland also had a blunt message for the Government: “The haulage industry is being driven off the road by punishing government taxes, charges and levies. Every extra penny at the pump and every levy on our livelihoods is another nail in the coffin of the haulage industry and by extension rural Ireland.
“We will not stand by while this industry is strangled by excessive taxation – nothing short of daylight robbery. It’s time to cut the tax burden, or risk killing off the very engine that keeps this economy moving. We are calling on the government for support, as his members are suffering.”
He added that members are “not asking for special treatment we’re demanding fairness. We are paying new environmental taxes, charges and government-inflicted levies every year”.
Mr. Hyland also said his members are not ruling out national protests and has called on the government to support his industry in this year’s budget.