By Damien Maher
Spiralling fuel costs are leading to a battle for survival for local haulage contractors who are encountering huge losses on a weekly basis.
Mickey Dan Murtagh, who’s based in The Downs, Mullingar, has four trucks and the next couple of months are crucial for the future of his livestock haulage business – one he has devoted the last 23 years of his life to.
He’s using 700 litres of diesel a day, so when the sharp increase of late are factored in, it translates into €350 per day extra to run them. That’s an extra €1,750 a week in costs, plus the dreaded VAT.
“That’s the reality, those are the figures,” he grimaced.
On top of diesel, adblue (an additive to reduce toxic emissions) has doubled in price. EU regulations insist that diesel exhaust fluid must be used and the cost of it has increased from 25 cent a litre to 50 cent a litre.
