A claim in a court in Wales yesterday that some Irish truck drivers had special switches to turn off their tachographs was described as a "gross exaggeration" by the Irish Road Haulage Association.
A spokesman for the haulage association, Jimmy Quinn said: "It would be a very foolish thing to do and it would mark any driver out like a sore thumb. I don't believe there is systematic abuse like that at all."
Earlier, a lorry driver with a Dublin address was given a suspended jail sentence for using a false tachograph chart and having no licence and insurance in Wales.
Barry Wolverson (27) of Moyclare Drive, Baldoyle, Dublin pleaded guilty to the offences which occurred on the A55, the main road to Holyhead ferry port.
Magistrates at Llandudno in north Wales were told yesterday that his articulated lorry, which had a switch under the handbrake lever, was stopped last Friday when heading for Holyhead ferry port from Ghent in Belgium.
James Neary, prosecuting, said Wolverson had not taken the required rest.
Wolverson had explained to the court that according to colleagues "most of the Scanias" had the switches, so truckers could exceed their permitted driving hours.
Defence solicitor Nia Dawson said: "He was simply a driver who had been given a time to get back to Holyhead, a particular ferry to catch, and realised he wasn't going to make it within his deadline.
"Because of financial pressures he behaved foolishly."
He owed £70,000 after a business collapsed and had been offered part-time work providing holiday cover for a friend. He works as a carpenter.
Court chairwoman Mary Williams told Wolverson: "You endangered road users.
"This is your second offence, you must have been well aware of the situation."
Wolverson was given a four months' jail sentence, suspended for two years, and banned from driving on British roads for two years.