State braced for day of disruption as hauliers begin protest action

The Irish Road Haulage Association's "slow-moving convoy of protest" is expected to cause widespread disruption this morning as lorries make their way to five cities and Rosslare port.

Special arrangements have been put in place for emergency services, co-ordinated through six Garda command centres. The Garda has appealed to hauliers not to create a blockade by stopping or abandoning vehicles as this could hamper emergency vehicles.

According to the hauliers, passage is to be allowed for emergency vehicles and essential services along hard shoulders, while certain categories of workers, including essential hospital staff, are being advised to make themselves known to the relevant Garda command centres.

The IRHA has liaison officers working with the command centres and has asked its members to maintain a dignified, peaceful protest as convoys converge on

Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Limerick and Galway, as well as Rosslare and Letterkenny. In Dublin, lorries will converge on the M50, the city's Cring, from as far away as the Border counties in the north, Gorey in the south, and parts of Mayo in the west. National routes within 50 miles of the capital are expected to be disrupted, including the N/ M1(Dublin/Belfast), the N2(Dublin Monaghan), N3(Dublin/Cavan), N4(Dublin Sligo), N6(Dublin Galway), and N11(Dublin/Rosslare). The lorries are not expected inside the C-ring, apart from the route between the M50/M1 junction and Dublin port, which will involve passing through the north city.

The IRHA president, Mr Gerry McMahon, expects to leave Monaghan town this morning and arrive at the M50 in Dublin at about 10.30 a.m. Access to Dublin Airport is expected to be difficult, particularly from the south and west. The Garda is hoping to maintain a route from the city centre to the airport along the old Santry Road which passes under the M50. i will be policing most junctions and roundabouts on this route and will be supplemented by the traffic department and the air support unit. Representatives of regional health authorities and emergency services will be present in the Garda command centres and special phone lines have been set up for the public to use in emergencies. The numbers are: Sligo, 071 57000; Mullingar, 044 48915; Galway, 091 563161/091 538000; Cork 021 4522000; Waterford 051 874888 and Dublin 01 6663133.

The IRHA said independent protests were also being planned across the State by hauliers who were not IRHA members.

There were unconfirmed reports yesterday that a number of hauliers were planning to block strategic bridges across the Shannon at Killaloe, Co Clare; Portumna in east Galway; and at Athlone and Carrick-on-Shannon.

The AA has advised motorists to postpone any unnecessary journeys and if this was not possible to allow plenty of time. County roads were seen as the best chance of avoiding disruption, while AA Roadwatch has set up a new premium rate telephone number to give regular updates on the situation. The number is 1550 311 811.

While the protest officially started at midnight, lorries were not expected to be moving until daybreak. The recommended maximum speed set by the IRHA is 30 miles per hour. In the regional cities, it was expected last night that disruption would be well under way by early morning. Lorries converging on Rosslare port will make it difficult for other lorries to leave the port. The IRHA said it would allow holidaymakers' cars to pass where possible.