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Ireland freight ‘heading for Brexit cliff edge’
[ August 31, 2017 // Chris ]The Freight Transport Association of Ireland (FTAI) has warned that the UK government’s lack of focus and lethargy in preparing its position Brexit could cause irreparable damage to Irish transport and logistics.
With the latest round of negotiations between the UK and Brussels getting underway, FTAI general manager Aidan Flynn, said: “Time is moving on, and nothing has been decided. Transport and logistics is the sector which everyone relies on to ensure finished goods and raw materials reach their end customers on time, yet no focus has been given to the requirements of the industry at the negotiating table.”
With trade arrangements not even having been discussed yet in Brussels there was “huge uncertainty for business,” he complained.
Flynn said: that 40% of Ireland’s fresh produce is exported to the UK and many believe that government intervention may be required to smooth the way for industries such as agriculture, to prevent a so-called “cliff edge” departure from negotiations having a significant impact on future business turnover.
He concluded: “New trading arrangements will need time to implement and be costly for the industry. They will also need sufficient time to plan properly. FTAI is calling on the UK government to put trade at the heart of all ongoing negotiations, to ensure that goods and services can continue to be delivered on time to the customers who need them. To ignore the needs of the freight industry at this point in negotiations can only lead to disruption and chaos – something which FTAI is keen to avoid at all costs.”