Published: 14 October 2019
Officials speaking on behalf of FTAI claim the 2020 budget isn’t radical enough to convince businesses to further reduce carbon footprints – speaking on behalf of the sector in Ireland, FTAI claims more can be done to convince hauliers to carry out change and improve the environment.
Aidan Flynn, FTAI General Manager, spoke on the matter: “In the view of FTAI, Budget 2020 lives up to its billing as an overly cautious set of measures; it will fail to trigger the cultural change required to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. It will not incentivise the logistics sector to make the radical changes required to meet government-mandated carbon-emission reduction targets by 2030.”
He continued: “Within the Budget, there are no measures to incentivise businesses to change their fuel burning habits or encourage the uptake of alternatively fuelled technologies. This Budget focused on delivering increased taxation with no support for industry to counteract the penal charges it faces.”
Mr Flynn also stated: “FTAI does, however, welcome the establishment of a Brexit contingency fund; this is a prudent measure, and, if distributed correctly, will provide vital aid for industry in the event of a No Deal Brexit. Some of the areas touted for No Deal Brexit funding include staffing, ports, airports and facilities management, but we would like to see much more detail in these plans. In the view of FTAI, this financial investment should start now to help the supply chain adjust, particularly for developing regional ports.”
He concluded: “Brexit will place a strain on the whole economy; aiding businesses to trade in an environmentally-efficient manner is good governance and prudent in these difficult times. We need a dynamic and competitive industry; adding costs and not offsetting these increases with viable alternatives will stifle business growth. Skills shortages, operational costs, and adapting to the new Brexit reality are all costs to a business that without support and a collaborative approach from government and industry, will have devastating consequences for all the hard-working people in the logistics sector. Much more must be done!”
FTA Ireland is a non-profit trade association, speaking on behalf of the hauliers and other members of the logistics industry operating within Ireland. The membership association is led by members, who act within the industry’s best interests. Representing Ireland’s fleets and vehicles, they act as the voice for over 25,000 drivers.