Irish hauliers are seeking a meeting with the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, this week, to put forward proposals to alleviate high fuel costs which they say are having a detrimental effect on business.
While the French blockaded ports last week to protest at the high price of fuel and yesterday blocked oil refineries and fuel depots, the Irish hauliers said they had the same grievances and empathised with the protesters.
Mr Gerry McMahon, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said it had requested a meeting with the Minister and hoped for a reply today.
Over the last 18 months, fuel prices had increased by 40 per cent and it was having a major impact, he said.
"We're hoping to meet the Government to see if we can put together a package which will help hauliers. We're looking for a rebate at the end of each quarter."
The association had been preparing a Budget submission but because of the urgency of the situation, had brought its approach to the Minister forward.
"We certainly do have sympathy with the French but they have a different way of doing things there. We've the same problems and who knows what options will be left to us?" he said.
He said the French ports themselves were not being blockaded yesterday and most Irish hauliers would have enough fuel on board to do the round trip. If petrol depots were blockaded, it would affect only a small number of association members who were not able to carry the full load. The main concern would be if attitudes in France hardened and there was a major escalation of the protests. "If it escalates and the ports into France are blocked, hauliers will have to divert to Belgium. But there is a capacity problem there and it could lead to lengthy tailbacks," he said.
A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the sailings to Cherbourg, which take 15 to 16 hours, were on schedule. The problem this week in France had been on the ground on the approach roads. There had been sporadic evidence of blockading of petrol depots but the roads into Cherbourg had been clear.
"We are in touch with our port people in Cherbourg all the time. If the blockade of the ports resumes, there's not much we can actually do and the only solution would be to delay departures," he said. A spokeswoman for Brittany Ferries said sailings were back to normal and they were "continually monitoring" the situation.