Fuel protesters add new demands for ending blockades; severe disruption on M50, Dublin Bus and Luas

Main Points

• Nationwide fuel price protests are continuing for a fourth day on Friday with further public transport and traffic disruption expected
• Fuel supplies at more Irish forecourts are under threat of running dry as a days-long blockade of major supply depots continues
• Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association says he has been asked to act as an “honest broker” between the protesters and Government
• Dublin Bus warned customers on Friday morning of severe service disruptions and delays “due to fuel price protests”
• Luas Green line services were partially suspended on Thursday amid protests
• On Friday morning at 5am, a Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) map was showing “incidents” on the M50, M18, M9, M8 and M7/N7 - almost all are fuel protests
• Protesters close to Rosslare Europort were served with a section 8 of the Public Order Act by gardai last night

Best Reads

• Have your say on the fuel protests: How have you been affected?
• Delayed hospital appointments and “unnecessary heartache”: Readers on fuel protests’ impact
• In The News podcast: How will the fuel protests end?

Fuels body welcomes report which finds price increases have not breached the law

The representative body for the fuel industry has welcomed a report by the consumer watchdog which found the price increases in the home heating oil and road fuel markets in recent weeks have not been “in breach of any law”.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on Thursday published a report following significant price increases and calls from Government representatives to the public to notify it of high fuel prices and price gouging.

“This is in the context of conflict in the Middle East and the resultant impacts on international commodity markets,” the watchdog said in a statement.

It said price hikes were driven by significant increases in international wholesale costs rather than competition issues.

Kevin McPartland, chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, said the watchdog’s conclusions “are clear”.

“It has found no evidence of any breach of competition or consumer protection law in how fuel prices have been set in Ireland, directly addressing concerns around price gouging or anti-competitive behaviour,” McPartland said.

“The report also confirms that the recent increases in fuel prices were driven by significant rises in international wholesale costs, rather than decisions taken by companies operating in Ireland.”

McPartland said the report “makes clear” that prices at Irish forecourts rose by less than other global markets.

“Ireland is part of a global fuels market - we are a price taker, not a price setter,” he said.

“We recognise the very real pressure this has placed on households and businesses. As acknowledged by the CCPC, there is a level of distress and concern among consumers, and we absolutely recognise that.”

He added: “The cause of high prices is global market conditions, which are outside of the control of Irish fuel retailers.”

Fuel protesters not leaving ‘until we get what we want’

Fuel protesters have rowed back on their pledge to end their blockades after they get a meeting with Government, now stating they won’t leave “until we get what we want”.

In a speech to protesters on O’Connell Street on Thursday night, contractor Chris Duffy, a spokesman for the group, said the organisation “said when we’d get a meeting, we’d go home. Well, we’re not”.

“We’ll go home when we see what we get at the meeting. There’s not a f****ng idle truck moving in this country until we get what we want,” he said.

Government is due to meet official representative groups this afternoon in relation to fuel supports.

Members of Government have maintained they have not invited members of the protest directly but the protesters could attend the meeting as part of a delegation for an existing representative group, such as the Irish Road Haulage Association.

Confusion abounds over whether protesters invited to Friday meeting

Ellen Coyne, Political Correspondent, writes:

Friday morning began with confusion over whether the protesters had indeed secured a meeting with the Government.

It followed a claim made on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Thursday night by spokesman James Geoghegan.

The Irish Times understands that the confusion arose after demonstrators in Galway spoke with local Government TDs, who were trying to act as intermediaries between the Government and some local protesters who were known to the politicians.

It is understood that at some point during these discussions, it was suggested the protesters might be able to join a round-table discussion between the Government and representative groups from the farming and haulage sector. This round-table meeting had been planned separately to the protests this week.

But the Government insists it was only ever suggested the protesters would attend the meeting as part of a delegation for an existing representative group, such as the Irish Road Haulage Association. It maintains the protesters were not invited to the meeting by Government.

Two members of the IRHA are due to attend the meeting with Government today, along with nine other farming and haulage representative groups. The IRHA has said it will meet with protesters today, but the haulage group believed “it’s up to Government who goes to a Government meeting”. One Government source said Ministers would be agreeable to a protester attending if they came with a representative group such as the IRHA. At this point, there has been no invitation extended to the protesters themselves.

The protesters had consistently said the blockades would end as soon as a meeting with Government was secured. On Thursday night, spokesman for the protesters Chris Duffy walked that promise back in a speech to demonstrators on O’Connell Street.

“We said when we’d get a meeting, we’d go home. Well, we’re not,” Duffy said. “We’ll go home when we see what we get at the meeting.”

Protesters add new conditions to ending blockades

Caroline O’Doherty reports:

Protesters have added new demands to the conditions under which they say they will end their blockades.

They now want the Dáil recalled immediately and want the ban on oil exploration off the Irish coast rescinded.

That is in addition to removal of the carbon tax from fuel products and price caps on agricultural diesel, auto diesel and home heating kerosene.

James Geoghegan, one of the organisers of the protests, told Newstalk the new demands came from discussions with protesting groups around the country.

But confusion remains over whether he will be at a meeting scheduled for this afternoon between the Minister for Agriculture and the Irish Farmers Association, Irish Road Haulage Association and Farm Contractors Ireland.

Geoghegan, who is not a representative of those groups, said he and three other protest organisers had been invited to the meeting by Fianna Fáil TD John Connolly.

He said his local TD, Fianna Fáil’s Robert Troy, had also been involved in brokering the protesters’ attendance.

The Government is maintaining, however, that no formal invitation has been issued to protesters and that it is up to the recognised representative bodies whether to take them along to the talks.

Originally, protesters said they would call off their action if talks took place.

Geoghegan said things had changed since then due to a lack of trust in the Government but he added: “We have reduced the protest, we are allowing out more fuel out today, we have lifted some of the blockades off the ports.”

‘It’s blackmailing society’: Readers explain how they feel about protesters

Reporter Jack White has a powerful read this morning about the impact the protests are having on some people around the country:

As her mother began to receive end-of-life care, Claire McIver left Dublin at 7.30am on Wednesday morning to ensure she could say goodbye.

The journey to Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel should have taken two hours but instead took five, she says.

She encountered traffic at a standstill on the M7 as a result of a blockade, all the while experiencing “anguish” at the thought of not being able to say goodbye to her 93-year-old mother, Tess.

“I shouted at them: ‘Do you know the havoc you’re causing?’ and they laughed at me,” she says, recalling the blockade near Portlaoise.

Read his full report here

Demands of protesters to be ‘interrogated’ on Friday, Social Protection Minister says

Caroline O’Doherty reports:

Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has said An Garda Síochána will decide whether to call in the Army to remove blockades after an announcement by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan that the Defence Forces would be deployed overnight.

“The gardaí will make operational decisions as to whether the army will get involved,” Calleary said as most of the blockades remained in place this morning.

The Minister confirmed a meeting with recognised organisations for groups with fuel price concerns would take place this afternoon and that it was up to those organisations whether to bring protesters to the talks.

The main organisations – the IFA, Irish Road Haulage Association and Farm Contractors Ireland – that have been invited to the meeting are not officially behind the protests.

“We’re not dictating who can come to that meeting from the organisations so certainly if protesters come representing the farm organisations, we’re not dictating that they can’t come” he told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

Calleary said measures suggested by protesters, such as a cap on fuel prices and further tax cuts, would be “interrogated” but he stressed the Government had already provided €250 million worth of supports.

Protesters close to Rosslare Europort served with section 8 of the Public Order Act by gardaí

Protesters close to Rosslare Europort were served with a section 8 of the Public Order Act by gardaí last night, Sarah Slater reports.

Gardaí in the village of Kilrane over a loudspeaker issued a warning to protesters that they that had to leave the area and failure to do so “in a peaceful and orderly manner” would “possibly” lead to them being arrested and, if convicted, liable to a €1,000 fine or a six-month-prison sentence.

A garda added: “I would just urge you all to please peacefully remove yourselves from the area.”

Many of the protesters retorted by saying: “The people of Ireland say No.” The incident was recorded by scores of those gathered.

Local Aontú councillor Jim Codd said “there were extraordinary scenes” in Rosslare. “The Government has it in their power to stop this now,” Codd added.

An Army truck has also been reported to be at the location.

Meanwhile in Co Kilkenny, numerous filling stations have reported they have no fuel left following a surge in motorists panic buying.

Service stations locations include Thomastown, Goresbridge, Slieverue and Kilkenny city.

Sections of the M9 northbound also remained blocked on Friday morning.

Protests impact M50, M1, M7, M8 and M18

Fuel protests on a range of national routes this morning are causing disruption for motorists.

In Dublin, the M50 northbound is blocked at Junction 6, which will impact traffic heading to Dublin Airport.

The M1 southbound is blocked at Junction 3 (where it meets the M50) and also at Junction 18^th, which is the Carlingford exit.

The M7 remains closed at Portlaoise in both directions, while the M8 northbound from Cashel to Cahir is also blocked by protests.

In Limerick the M7 is blocked at Annacotty in both directions and the traffic delays are backing up to the Limerick tunnel.

The M18 IN Co Clare is blocked at Dromoland.

As the protest action enters a fourth day, tensions are beginning to rise, particularly in relation to access to health services for vulnerable patients.

Prof John Crown, oncologist, had this to say on X, formerly Twitter.

Number of forecourts without fuel to get ‘much, much worse’ on Friday as protest continues

Fuel supplies at more Irish forecourts are under threat of running dry as a days-long blockade of major supply depots continues.

Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of protests on Tuesday, which have grown from slow-moving convoys on motorways and restricted access to Dublin’s busiest streets, to blockades of fuel depots that supply half the country.

They want the Government to commit to further action on fuel costs.

A spokesman for the protesters said some participants may attend a meeting with Government on Friday that was originally scheduled for national representative bodies, with a coalition spokesman saying who the official groups bring is a matter for them.

Their widespread action enters a fourth day on Friday with demonstrators facing a reaction from the Garda, which said it was entering an “enforcement” phase of its response – accompanied by support from the military.

Social media footage late on Thursday showed gardaí warning protesters they could be arrested if they did not peacefully disperse from an area near Rosslare Europort in Co Wexford.

The Government’s intolerance of the action escalated on Thursday, with Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Defence Minister Helen McEntee stating that the Defence Forces “remain on standby” to assist the police in clearing heavy vehicles from the blockades.

Protesters have restricted access to a major oil refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork, as well as fuel depots in Galway City and Foynes, Co Limerick.

It has raised concern over panic buying at forecourts, some of which have run out of fuel, as well as impacts on emergency services and deliveries of key supplies for animal welfare on farms.

A leading industry representative warned that the number of forecourts running dry would get “much, much worse” from Thursday evening’s position of affected service stations being in the “low double digits”.

Fuels For Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartland said “panic buying has absolutely taken hold” and warned that “real significant life-death problems are going to be caused” with fuel supplies to emergency service vehicles under threat.

Ireland’s emergency planning group echoed the comments with “serious concern”, saying there may be an impacts on availability for some vital services, supply chains and public transport.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) said Ireland’s overall fuel supplies remain “robust and resilient” but said the obstruction of key routes from ports is threatening the provision of animal feed supplies, fertiliser and other vital materials, resulting in potential animal welfare issues and a threat to livelihoods in the agriculture sector.

Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) said the disruption is causing people to miss medical appointments and is impacting the provision of home care and critical care, such as dialysis and cancer treatment.

The HSE also warned that the blockades could disrupt the time-sensitive delivery of key medicines and medical devices. - PA

IRHA to act as ‘honest broker’ between protesters and Government

Ger Hyland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said he had been asked to act as an “honest broker” on the issue ahead of a planned stakeholders meeting on Friday.

Speaking on Friday morning, Hyland said he had spoken to “intermediaries” for the protesters but had yet to meet the protesters themselves.

Two people from the IRHA are due to attend a meeting with the Government, along with other stakeholders, on Friday afternoon, Hyland said.

In advance of that meeting, the IRHA had made itself available to talk to the protesters “and bring their concerns into Government”.

He said this was dependent on the protesters being “happy that we will bring them concerns with us. If they’re not, well then there is nothing more we can do for this,” Hyland told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland.

Luas Green line services disrupted

Due to the fuel protest in Dublin city centre Luas Green Line services are currently not operating between St Stephen’s Green and Dominick St. Services are operating between Broombridge and Dominick St and between St Stephen’s Green and Brides Glen only.

Fuel protesters explain the pressures they are facing

North and south quays in Dublin are open

The north and south quays in Dublin are open for traffic as normal today but O’Connell St bridge remains closed for traffic.

Taoiseach open to further measures to ease fuel prices

The Taoiseach has said further measures to ease fuel prices, including the broadening of existing measures, could be possible through negotiations.

This is thought to include further relief on green diesel and a possible extension of the diesel rebate scheme. However, it is thought unlikely that any price caps will be on the table.

It is understood some backchannels have been opened to the protesters through Government TDs, which could facilitate exchanges, though Government is anxious not to undercut established organisations.

“We are open to mechanisms,” the Taoiseach said on Thursday night. “But the strikes will have to end first.”

Fuel protesters claim they have secured meeting

Fuel price protesters say they have secured a meeting with Government Ministers, according to an organiser of the demonstrations who pledged to continue disruptions for a fourth day on Friday.

One of the protest organisers, James Geoghegan, claimed negotiators will join a meeting at Government Buildings on Friday afternoon, alongside the Irish Road Haulage Association and the Irish Farmers’ Association.

It comes as forecourts across the country are running low on fuel as protesters continued blockades on Thursday.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time on Thursday night, Geoghegan described the meeting as a “breakthrough”, though added that disruptions will continue on Friday regardless.

Dubin Bus warns of severe service disruption

Dubin Bus has warned customers on Friday morning that due to the ongoing fuel price protests it is “experiencing ongoing severe service disruptions and delays” which has resulted in a number of services being cancelled or diverted. A full list is available on the Dublin Bus website.