Those blocking fuel depots, motorways and key transit routes across country could face legal penalties for obstructing traffic and the provision of fuel, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
“Anybody who just simply parks a truck in the middle of nowhere - there should be penalties and there will be penalties in terms of any violations of various laws that apply there,” the Taoiseach said.
“Fuel depots will have to be cleared. There is no justification whatsoever for blockading fuel depots, it runs counter to what everyone wants, which is access to fuel on a timely basis and there is always a balance when there are protests.”
The Taoiseach said that Government will continue to engage with the national representative organisations of the farming, agri contractor and road haulage sectors.
'Generous package'
Prior engagement with these groups saw the “most generous package in Europe” unveiled, in a bid to relieve fuel cost pressures in March.
Although worth 17-21c/l to motorists, this temporary reduction of fuel excise took just 5c/l off the cost of green diesel.
“We respect people’s right to protest and so there is always a balance initially in terms of how that is policed, but what is not acceptable is thinking that 'we will turn O’Connell St into a carpark'. That is not acceptable,” the Taoiseach said on Wednesday.
“The protests at the moment are wrong to prevent mobility, to prevent people from accessing livelihoods, medical appointments, disrupting day-to-day activities... [it] is a wrong form of protest.”
The Taoiseach’s warning came just before a meeting of senior Government kicked off on the looming risk of fuel supply shortages into 2026 resulting from conflict in the Middle East.
Traffic backed up along the N7 ton Tuesday as a slow moving convoy of trucks, tractors and cars made its way towards Dublin city centre for the fuel price protest. \ Claire Nash
Tuesday saw slow-rolling tractor and haulier convoys create delays across much of the country’s motorway network, as well as the blocking of areas such as O’Connell Street at the heart of Dublin and roadways around Dublin Port.
These fuel cost protests have continued into Wednesday in some parts, with O’Connell St remaining closed and Galway Port being blockaded.
Crisis looms
The high-level Government meeting sought to identify sectors of the economy to be prioritised in the case of any fuel supply shortage - the farming and haulage sectors were referenced by the Taoiseach as among those currently earmarked.
Late Tuesday saw some easing of oil prices as a result of the agreement of a two-week ceasefire brokered between the US and Iran dependent on the reopening of the Straight of Hormuz energy shipping bottleneck.
Martin expressed hope that this “can be built on into a more permanent settlement” that would take some uncertainty out of energy markets, but warned that some price and supply pressures are here to stay after the destruction of energy infrastructure in some parts of the Middle East.
Those blocking fuel depots, motorways and key transit routes across country could face legal penalties for obstructing traffic and the provision of fuel, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
“Anybody who just simply parks a truck in the middle of nowhere - there should be penalties and there will be penalties in terms of any violations of various laws that apply there,” the Taoiseach said.
“Fuel depots will have to be cleared. There is no justification whatsoever for blockading fuel depots, it runs counter to what everyone wants, which is access to fuel on a timely basis and there is always a balance when there are protests.”
The Taoiseach said that Government will continue to engage with the national representative organisations of the farming, agri contractor and road haulage sectors.
'Generous package'
Prior engagement with these groups saw the “most generous package in Europe” unveiled, in a bid to relieve fuel cost pressures in March.
Although worth 17-21c/l to motorists, this temporary reduction of fuel excise took just 5c/l off the cost of green diesel.
“We respect people’s right to protest and so there is always a balance initially in terms of how that is policed, but what is not acceptable is thinking that 'we will turn O’Connell St into a carpark'. That is not acceptable,” the Taoiseach said on Wednesday.
“The protests at the moment are wrong to prevent mobility, to prevent people from accessing livelihoods, medical appointments, disrupting day-to-day activities... [it] is a wrong form of protest.”
The Taoiseach’s warning came just before a meeting of senior Government kicked off on the looming risk of fuel supply shortages into 2026 resulting from conflict in the Middle East.
Traffic backed up along the N7 ton Tuesday as a slow moving convoy of trucks, tractors and cars made its way towards Dublin city centre for the fuel price protest. \ Claire Nash
Tuesday saw slow-rolling tractor and haulier convoys create delays across much of the country’s motorway network, as well as the blocking of areas such as O’Connell Street at the heart of Dublin and roadways around Dublin Port.
These fuel cost protests have continued into Wednesday in some parts, with O’Connell St remaining closed and Galway Port being blockaded.
Crisis looms
The high-level Government meeting sought to identify sectors of the economy to be prioritised in the case of any fuel supply shortage - the farming and haulage sectors were referenced by the Taoiseach as among those currently earmarked.
Late Tuesday saw some easing of oil prices as a result of the agreement of a two-week ceasefire brokered between the US and Iran dependent on the reopening of the Straight of Hormuz energy shipping bottleneck.
Martin expressed hope that this “can be built on into a more permanent settlement” that would take some uncertainty out of energy markets, but warned that some price and supply pressures are here to stay after the destruction of energy infrastructure in some parts of the Middle East.
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