A letter from the Irish Freight Transport Association to the Taoiseach warns of huge disruption in the coming weeks as the impact of Brexit fully takes hold of trade between Ireland, the UK and Europe.

The letter, seen by RTÉ News, warns of disappearing supply chains, empty supermarket shelves and rising unemployment, and calls for a six month adjustment period.

The communication warned that one consignment of pharmaceutical products had missed both a ferry and airline slot because of paperwork problems.

The letter to Micheál Martin paints a stark picture and adds to a growing number of warnings that an initial slump in the volumes of trucks moving goods in and out of Ireland to the UK and across the land-bridge to continental Europe, as well as pre-Christmas stockpiling, have masked the true impact of Brexit.

That impact could now properly hit when trade volumes rise to their true levels.

According to the Freight Transport Association, new customs and food safety formalities are causing lorries to remain stranded at Dublin Port, or to remain stuck in the UK.

Click here for more on what the letter outlined.