'I think dialogue is always better than protests' - Leitrim haulier speaks on blockades

Hauliers, farmers and contractors ­protesting against the cost of fuel are continuing to cause disruption in the capital and across the country today and Leitrim Observer spoke to a local haulier, Gerry McMorrow about his view on events. 

Mr McMorrow, who is transport manager of a fleet of vehicles and who did not take part in the protest, said that he "sympathises with everyone who has to pay more for diesel. I'm one of them and you're one of them and we use more so we are paying more but the information we have been given from the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is that there is package coming for us soon and that diesel would be capped - that's our hope."

He continued that a meeting is due to take place between members of IRHA and government officials this week and "we're waiting for that. In terms of farmers; I can't speak for them."

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He said that he wasn't aware of anyone in the haulage industry in Leitrim who had taken part in the protests. "Personally, I think, to block people going to work and appointments, isn't the answer. Some of the protests were fine and they kept lanes open but there were some protests where it was a little bit more heavy-handed but that is always the problem with protests; you can never control the narrative in it."

He said he also did not attend a meeting last week about the price of fuel which took place in Bee Park in Manorhamilton. "I didn't attend that meeting as I had been made aware that a meeting had taken place between the IRHA and the government. The government told us they would be back to us this week and they are coming back to us; I think there are actually meetings today. I don't think it would be appropriate to go out and block people especially as our rebate was increased. I know it didn't make up the difference but at the same time, there are people worse off that us. I think dialogue is better than protests."

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Mr McMorrow said on the meeting: "You have a large group of people from different sectors of the community; people who are in farming, operates buses, hauliers etc. There is no group, as such, taking control of the protest or organising it so when you get a group of people blocking a motorway, lanes etc. sometimes, it might not be handled the best way. You could have someone trying to get to a hospital appointment and they may not have the same sympathy for those protesting as somebody else."

He concluded: "We are in a war situation and I don't think it's the Irish government's fault that the price of fuel has gone where it has. They could probably do more but they have told us that they will do more and we are taking that in good faith. If it's a case that we have to go and protest again, we could, but at this time, we don't feel the need to do that and I'm saying that representing my own company and also in terms of the advice we've received from IRHA."

He stressed that he "sympathises with everyone and those who are paying more to put fuel in their car to get work and in the haulage industry, this is really really causing us problems but I don't want to make my problem, somebody else's problem. Everyone is suffering."