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Carriers warn of significant new disruptions at Irish Sea and English Channel ports likely to lead to further delays to and from Ireland of food and parcels after the French government imposed mandatory Covid-19 tests for truckers Irish traveling to the country for the first time.
Aidan Flynn, general manager of the Freight Transport Association Ireland business group, said the new tests effectively destroy the EU initiative known as the “green lane”, according to which truckers were considered essential workers and did not require tests for Covid-19. . The move will generate more uncertainty in addition to the disruption in the Channel ports and Ireland caused by Brexit.
He said the continent’s food and parcel supply chain will face even more uncertainty, warning that “on some days you could have delivery delays and on other days you could be fine.”
The French had moved because of the prevalence of the English variant of Covid-19 in Ireland, which means that even essential Irish workers on Thursday have to submit a negative test taken 72 hours before arrival to enter France, he said. Flynn.
The Department for Transport here has launched its emergency planning to set up free test centers to cover the two main UK land bridge ports in the Republic, including Rosslare, about which Flynn said the industry had concerns due to its location. some distance from the port. . A car park at Dublin Airport will be the main testing center for Dublin Port truckers.
“It is good that the state is covering the costs of antigen tests and it has been a challenge to secure them” because they had not been approved by the Irish health authorities, he said.
“The concern for the industry is if it is happening here in France and in the Netherlands, and with Britain as a third country, that there will be new requirements in the Irish Sea. It is a genuine concern because doing an antigen test will consume the hours of regulated job drivers, “Flynn said.
Even direct sea routes to France from the Republic will have to test truckers, the group of carriers said.
The Department of Transport said in a statement that “following the French Government’s decision, all drivers of commercial vehicles traveling from Ireland to France as of Thursday January 28 will be required to provide evidence of a negative Covid -19 test result.” .
“The Department of Transport, together with the Transport Infrastructure of Ireland and Wexford County Council, is working intensively to finalize the opening of State-supported antigen testing facilities for transporters,” he said.
“These tests will be available free of charge at dedicated test sites near the ports of Dublin and Rosslare. The tests will only be provided to carriers traveling to France or other countries where a negative Covid-19 test is required to enter.” . the department said. He said drivers could be tested at private facilities, but the government would not cover the costs.
“The Department of Transportation is working closely with the transportation industry and the shipping sector regarding the introduction of these new testing requirements for drivers of commercial vehicles,” he said.
“The department will issue guidance directly to representative transport organizations and ferry operators and to all internationally licensed transport operators,” the department said.
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