Losses for Irish companies will seriously escalate if the French truckers strike continues into next week, the Irish Exporters Association (IEA) has warned. The association said new deliveries, consisting of stock for next week, will be leaving Irish factories today and it is important they are able to reach their customers.

"If next weeks deliveries are stopped a serious backlog of stock will arise," said IEA spokesman, Mr Colum McDonnell.

"This will hit companies who do not have any warehousing facilities and who will have to destroy perishable stock".

At this stage Irish companies are said to be losing up to £10 million a day, because they cannot reach either the French or Spanish markets.

Mr McDonnell said the textile industry was now joining other sectors badly effected. Meanwhile, Irish hauliers are "cautiously optimistic" a solution to the six-day strike will be agreed at some stage today.

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) believes agreement may be possible because there is a bank holiday in France on Monday and this may make French drivers more likely to settle.

The IRHA said it would be unusual for the striking French drivers not to avail of a bank holiday weekend.