In a pre-budget speech in the House of Commons on 9 November 2000, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, announced, "So that foreign lorries pay their share of the costs of using our roads, we intend to introduce in Britain a vignette system, a British disc, under which non-British companies and lorries pay their share to Britain for using British roads". This announcement has caused consternation in the Irish road haulage sector. In the intervening period, no further details of Gordon Brown's proposal have been released. The Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Deputy Jacob, stated in reply to a Dáil Question of 28 November that his Department was in contact with the British authorities immediately after the British Chancellor's announcement but that no details were available other than the very broad outline in the Commons speech.
The proposed charge has already become popularly known, or should I say unpopularly known, as the "Brit. disc". Even from the broad outline, it is clear that it would be a penalty on Irish hauliers. Chancellor Brown referred to introducing the system in Britain and for British roads but, unless we are otherwise informed, it has to be assumed this would apply not just to the island of Britain, but to the Six Counties, which remain for the moment at least under Chancellor Brown's jurisdiction. In this jurisdiction, therefore, Irish hauliers will be subjected to an imposition which will be uniquely punitive, the vast majority of them having to pass through Britain, and in many cases the North of Ireland also, to get to the Continent.
It is estimated that 80% of truckers from the Twenty Six counties regularly travel to or pass through the Six Counties and or Britain. Trade with other EU countries is predominantly by that route. The Irish Road Haulage Association has stated that the "Brit. disc" would impose crippling extra costs on the trucking industry, with approximately 16,000 vehicles operating out of the Twenty Six counties being subject to the charge.
The proposed "Brit. disc" would be in clear breach of EU freedom of movement regulations and would hit truckers in the Twenty Six counties hardest. We have been involved in developing EU highways which are supposed to facilitate trade across the Continent, including these islands. Our ports are being upgraded for this purpose. A British charge on Irish trade runs totally contrary to these developments. If this charge is to go ahead and if it is to apply to hauliers travelling across the Border, it would represent an attack on Irish trade. We are trying to build all-Ireland and cross-Border trade in the context of the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and we are faced with an outrageous proposal which would re-enforce the artificial frontier. In my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, and that of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, there are hundreds of hauliers who would be directly affected. At a time when physical barriers with our neighbouring counties have been lifted, this charge would be a fiscal barrier.
I have already raised this matter with Inter-Trade Ireland, the all-Ireland trade body established under the Good Friday Agreement. It has been conducting road shows around the Twenty Six Counties in recent months to encourage cross-Border trade. A proposal such as Gordon Brown's runs totally contrary to its work also.
The reply from the Minister of State, Deputy Jacob, on 28 November did not mention the implications for Ireland of Gordon Brown's plans.
I thank the Minister of State for his attendance here this evening and I urge him to ensure the British Government is left in no doubt about the universal Irish position to this proposal. The "Brit. disc" must be strongly resisted by the Irish Government and Mr. Brown must be made to think again.