A leading member of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has called on government to suspend the carbon tax levy on Diesel, as fuel prices continue to soar at the pumps.

IRHA Deputy Vice President, Eugene Drennan says that government is taking 19.6 cent per litre in a carbon tax levy and has called on government to suspend the levy as a “temporary measure” to “steady the market”.

Speaking on Liveline or RTE1, Mr Drennan said “We can postpone the carbon tax as a temporary measure. I am sure government will say there is a myriad of reasons, why they cannot postpone the tax.”

“We need to suspend it for a period of time. It can be re-introduced at a future date, when things settle down, but right now we need it,” Mr Drennan added.