The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said everything possible will be done to repatriate Irish truck drivers stranded at UK ports trying to get to the Continent.
Mr Coveney told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show that he anticipated ferry routes between the UK and Europe would open up again soon as it was not something he wanted to see closed off for any length of time.
The Minister repeated a warning to hauliers, truckers and businesses not to attempt to use the land bridge through the UK. They should not leave Ireland unless they had a confirmed sailing from the UK to France.
Mr Coveney said there would be a sailing from Ireland to the French port of Cherbourg today which was full, and that there were a number of direct ferry options tomorrow. Negotiation were ongoing between the Department of Transport and the operators of the planned ferry from Rosslare to Dunkirk about commencing the service earlier than the first week of January.
“There is significant capacity on direct ferry routes.”
Food shortages
The Minister also said he did not anticipate any shortage of foodstuffs as had been predicted for the UK by grocery chain Sainsburys.
There had been “quite a bit of stockpiling”, he said, but there was no evidence that there will be any shortages in Ireland.
Supply chains will change in the weeks ahead he said, and he was hopeful that the land bridge issues would be resolved in the “next few days”.
Irish residents currently in the UK would be repatriated as soon as possible with the Department of Transport in communication with the airlines about a number of flights.
Anyone arriving on those flights would be expected to quarantine for 14 days and would be obliged to fill out the locator form. Mr Coveney also highlighted it is illegal to fill out the form inaccurately.
There would be follow-up calls, but not to every one, he said, adding the Government is working “night and day” to ensure it makes the right decisions.
“We will make decisions when we have all the facts in front of us.”
'No idea'
Responding to Mr Coveney's comments, Independent TD and former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Verona Murphy has claimed there is not the capacity to get Irish trucks home.
“He has no idea it would appear,” she told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show.
“There are 200 odd trucks that went to the UK to try to use the land bridge, there's another 200-300 heading for Cherbourg, and some already there that are trying to get back into Ireland. As well as another 200 trying to leave Ireland to try to take product to the continent.
“I've got three factories in the south-east with €1 million worth of meat product and they can't get bookings on ferries, to France and Holland.”
Ms Murphy said she had been warning for some time that the IMDO report was incorrect and also that the Stena Line ferry referenced by the Minister will not take drivers, only drop trailers.
“We have capacity currently between today and tomorrow for 90 trucks and trailers when we need 400. That statement that the Minister made that we have sufficient capacity is a miss statement, it is totally false.”
This day of reckoning was coming.
Ms Murphy said there were several options, but they would take Government effort and a coordinated approach.
“Many drivers are refusing to go out because they're not going to get caught up in it. Those who are in Cherbourg trying to get home for Christmas are very concerned - to be sitting on a pier in a port for Christmas or on the side of a road.
“I think the Dáil should be reconvened. I'm not prepared to sit down and eat my Christmas dinner when there's people like this stranded for no good reason. I flagged this.”
When asked would the stranded drivers end up sitting in the cabs on Christmas Day, Ms Murphy said yes they would.
“We don't have the capacity. Our last ferry is scheduled for Wednesday - if we only have capacity for 90 trucks and we need capacity for 400, well then they're going to be sitting either in a port or on the side of the road. There isn't any other option.
“This day of reckoning was coming. Nobody has put any preparation in place.”
