The South Down MP said: “Those involved in the haulage industry in the North have been raising concerns about the impact of Brexit for some time now, particularly around the dangers a no-deal Brexit and the imposition of any physical infrastructure on the border would have.
“Now the industry is facing the issue of requiring permits to operate in the EU post-Brexit in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
“But there has been only a limited number of permits released, not nearly enough to handle the number of drivers and lorries in the north.
“Permits also raise questions about enforcement and in the event of a no-deal Brexit we could be faced with long and costly delays at the border, which would involve crippling costs to the haulage sector.
“This could put the livelihoods of many in the haulage industry in jeopardy with a no-deal Brexit.
“But the reality is there is no such thing as a good Brexit for the sector or for the North generally.
“We need the EU 27 and the Irish government to stand firm to ensure the protection of our economy, our agreements and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.“
