Tipperary TD slammed for his comments on HGV tax – ‘It shows his lack of knowledge’
Tipperary elected representatives have hit out at comments made by a Tipperary TD, saying that the comments showed a “lack of knowledge” about their party’s policies.
Sinn Féin councillors for Tipperary Annemarie Ryan and David Dunne were responding to comments made by Tipperary South TD Michael Murphy (Fine Gael) about the party’s views on a tax paid by southern-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) who drive over the border to Northern Ireland.
Carrick-on-Suir councillor David Dunne explained that “The levy is a £10 charge imposed on HGV vehicles registered in the south of Ireland when they enter the north of Ireland where non-compliance is a £300 penalty, payable immediately at roadside.
"It is a regressive levy introduced by the Westminster government (who have sole competency for it) and displayed absolutely no appreciation for the negative impacts it would have for cross border mobility or trade. It was vehemently opposed by Sinn Féin when it was first introduced in 2014 and has been resisted by Sinn Féin ever since through repeated representations to the Irish and British Governments over the last decade,” Cllr Dunne said.
However, Cllr Dunne added that Sinn Féin’s opposition to the tax appeared to be “news” to Deputy Murphy.
"But judging from Deputy Murphy’s comments, the fact that Sinn Fein has been opposing this since its first introduction in 2014 is news to him. As Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, one would think that he would be aware of this and would have been working with us get a policy which is in the sole competence of the Westminster government reversed.
"Instead, he appears to prefer to misrepresent Sinn Féin’s position rather than to work in the interests of the HGV sector himself over the years,” Cllr Dunne hit out.
Tipperary town councillor and party colleague Annemarie Ryan added that Deputy Murphy’s comments showed a “lack of knowledge on this matter” which “should raise the alarm bells among hauliers and the overall transport sector”.
"Sinn Féin has been actively opposing these levies ever since they were introduced. It shows that Deputy Murphy’s prefers to misrepresent the facts than to educate himself on this issue and to proactively and to work with us in the interests of the sector,” Cllr Ryan said.
"As Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Deputy Murphy has shown a worrying level of ignorance on the history of the levy and its imposition by the Westminster government - and as concerning is the fact that he is willing to misrepresent the proactive approach that Sinn Féin has taken. Instead, he appears to favour getting a cheap media sound bite that only serves to hide his lack of knowledge,” Cllr Ryan concluded.