It appears that a lorry driver shortage could impact milk collection this year. Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen has responded to the issue, saying that the “growing phenomenon” of labour shortages had been exacerbated by delays in the processing and awarding of permits for workers, especially those from outside Europe.
These concerns were raised by a midlands-based haulage company, who stated that, “There is a crisis in our industry regarding the recruitment and retention of heavy goods vehicle drivers. You have seen what happened in the UK, with shops shelves empty and panic buying at forecourts. We as an island nation that is predominantly rural are totally dependent on road haulage, because waterways and rail are not viable or realistic options.”
“We are at the coalface, collecting milk off-farm in the midlands and delivering animal feedstuff and fertilisers to farms. Without this service, the agricultural sector would grind to a halt. Already, there is a real risk of milk not being collected off farms in 2022. This would have a catastrophic impact on both farms and the agri-processing industry,” it said.
Deputy Cowen commented that the free movement of work within Europe had dried up.
“It is essential that we enter into agreements with other third countries that are outside Europe.”
LSL News.