Longford haulage firm who support protests facing over €100,000 bill in extra fuel costs

A county Longford haulage logistics manager has said they are facing increased fuel costs of over €100,000 this year if the soaring cost of fuel remains the same without any further Government assistance.

Cal Jones, a Logistics Coordinator with Barry Express, a Longford town based company who provide sustainable and reliable transport solutions, said they have 20 lorries and they back the protests, but they felt they were under so much pressure they had to keep working.

"I couldn't spare the lorries. I just had to keep the show on the road I suppose, but I would fully support their stand point there, we fully support them in that."

Cal said they are facing a lofty and ever-increasing bill to cover fuel costs and that is just if prices remain the same.

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"I'm sure it's going to cost us about €100,000 more on fuel alone. That's after the last cut in excise and the rebate."

Asked if he believes the Government need to do more, Cal said he believes the protests and current situation 'speaks to a broader issue insofar as there's definitely a disconnect there between the working people of Ireland and the government' in his opinion.

Cal said Barry Express employ about 26 people between drivers and office staff and he said hauliers are 'disillusioned'.
"I certainly think there's a disconnect there.

"As a haulier, I think we're quite disappointed with the Irish Road Haulage Association as well and I think some of the farmers and hauliers are disappointed with some of the other representative bodies, I think the silence is deafening on it.

"There are meetings ad nauseum about this. But, beyond the changes that were made a couple of weeks back, nothing's really happened.

"I think that's why they felt compelled to go out and protest because it was their livelihoods and they're on the breadline."

"Some of them were saying they were close to going out of business as well."

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Cal said there certainly would be a lot who are close to going out of business and many smaller operators have to choose between repaying a loan for a lorry or putting the money back into the business to cover costs and keep it operating.

"Farmers as well as hauliers, your profit margins are very slim.

"You hear a lot of it in the media and from the average Joe Soap on the street that, 'Oh, look at all these lads with their expensive tractors and their expensive lorries'.

"But, we don't own any of them, these are all in finance."

Asked about whether he agreed with protestors blocking fuel distribution sites and many major motorways, Cal said it has been done out of 'desperation'.

"I think there's a point of desperation from protestors, where you have to make it hurt somehow.

"The government seem fairly oblivious to what's going on.

"They [the protestors] just wanted to make something sting, something to catch their attention, because it really didn't seem to make much of an impact."