IRHA threatens ‘crippling public protests’ as costs continue to spiral

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has threatened to mount “crippling public protests” unless government tackles spiralling costs hitting the haulage industry.

The IRHA has claimed that haulage operators “are being driven off the road by new punishing government imposed fuel taxes, higher tolls, new port charges, transport charges and levies, with devastating consequences for small family run businesses across rural Ireland”.

CVWorkshop.ie has learned that the IRHA is ready to mount protests, unless action is taken to reduce hauliers’ cost base.

IRHA president Ger Hyland said: “We met with the Taoiseach in December and laid out the amount and extent of increased taxes we are paying as an industry.

“We made it very clear that unless some action is taken to reduce our cost base, we would not be afraid to mount crippling public protests to highlight the damage that is being caused to our industry.”

“The Taoiseach is to revert to us by the end of January 2026 with proposals,” Hyland added. “Tackling government imposed costs and taxes will be a key priority for the IRHA in 2026.”