Ireland

16.04.2020

On 15 April, the Irish department of transport agreed to relax rules on driving and rest times for a further 6 weeks. Exemptions will apply from 17 April to 31 May for all haulage activity within the republic of Ireland and are as follows:

- Art. 6.3: the fortnightly driving limit is increased from 90 to 112 hours.

- Art. 8.4: the maximum of three reduced daily rest periods between any two weekly rest periods is increased from three to five; if a driver reaches the maximum of five in the first five days following the end of the previous weekly rest period, and then continues to drive on the sixth consecutive day, his daily log must not exceed thirteen hours for day six.

- Art. 8.6: The current weekly rest rules will continue to apply, but no compensation will be required for a reduced weekly rest period. In any two consecutive weeks, drivers must continue to take at least either two regular weekly rest periods, or one regular weekly rest period and one reduced weekly rest period of at least 24 hours, whilst ensuring that the weekly rest period starts no later than six 24 hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest period.

- Art. 8.8: possibility for the driver to take the regular weekly rest in the vehicle, as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities for each driver and the vehicle is stationary.

Source: IRHA

Restrictions

The Irish Government have issued special advice about travelling, including restricting movements for 14 days on those entering Ireland who have been to affected areas. Freight transport is exempted. The government published a guidance note for supply chain workers. This document contains about one and half pages of useful guidelines for drivers.

To reduce the risk of infection, the ferry company Seatruck Ferries has temporarily stopped shipping any HGV drivers or any other passengers in their Irish Sea vessels. Accompanied road transport (complete truck combinations with driver) is then stopped until further notice, but the company will continue to carry unaccompanied semi-trailers, containers and swap bodies.

Relieves

In response to the extraordinary crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), Ireland has agreed to a temporary and limited relaxation of the enforcement of driving and rest times rules for the drivers of vehicles engaged in domestic and international goods transport. This relaxation is granted pursuant to Article 14(2) of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 and applies from 18 March 2020 and will run until 16 April 2020, provided that road safety is not affected [impaired] when transport companies make use of these exemptions. Employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users. For the above mentioned category of drivers, the following provisions will be temporarily relaxed as follows:

• Derogation to Art. 6(3): the fortnightly driving limit is lifted from 90 hours to 112 hours.
• Derogation to the Art. 8(6): in any two consecutive weeks a driver shall take at least two reduced weekly rest periods whilst maintaining the rule that a weekly rest period shall start no later than at the end of six 24-hour periods from the end of the previous weekly rest period. There shall be no requirement for compensation or for a regular weekly rest period to be taken.

Source: IRHA