Fuel protesters have not been invited to the talks that are to take place this Friday between road hauliers, farmers and Government, a Government spokesperson has confirmed.
The talks are set to take place at 2.30pm at Agriculture House in Dublin and come as protests over fuel prices entered a fourth day on Friday morning.
Protesters have blockaded Foynes and Galway ports and the Whitegate oil refinery in Cork.
Gardaí and the garda public order unit were on the scene at Whitegate on Friday morning.
The Government spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal: “Government has not contacted the protesters” to attend the talks.
The Irish Farmers Journal has confirmed that the following have been invited to the talks:
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).Irish Farmers Association (IFA).Macra.Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec). Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG).Association of Farm Contractors of Ireland (FCI).Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA).Irish Road Hauliers Association (IRHA).The spokesperson said that Government will be “listening to those at the meeting” and that they “understand there is an expectation” for a package to tackle the issues raised by the protesters.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) is notably absent from the list of organisations invited to the meeting. This is understood to be on account of ICSA president Seán McNamara attending the protest over the last number of days in O’Connell Street.
ICSA president Seán McNamara at the protest on Tuesday. \ Philip Doyle
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney will lead the meeting.
The three junior ministers at the Department of Agriculture will also attend; Michael Healy-Rae, Noel Grealish and Timmy Dooley.
Christopher Duffy, one of the organisers of the current fuel price protests, stated on social media on Friday that he had been invited to a meeting with Government on Friday for talks on the current fuel price protests.
'Not the meeting we wanted'
Duffy said: “Yesterday evening they [Government] came back to us with a meeting, but not the meeting we wanted.”
He said that he and other protesters had requested a meeting with just themselves and the Government.
He also stated that the other organisations that have been attending meetings with Government over fuel prices “keep coming out with nothing”.
Large numbers of protesters were present at Whitegate on Thursday night. \ Philip Doyle
Duffy said he was not happy that the meeting included other organisations. However, he added that they were faced with two options; either refuse the meeting and make no progress, or accept the meeting and make a start.
He said that if they had got the meeting they asked for with just the Government and protesters, that the protest would end. However, Duffy said this meeting is “not acceptable enough for us to call off this”.
Duffy stated: “Talks are better than no talks, but without results I’m afraid I’ll be looking at Nelson’s pillar [now the Spire] for a long time. There could be grass growing down the M50 yet, because there will be nothing moving on it.”
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Fuel protesters have not been invited to the talks that are to take place this Friday between road hauliers, farmers and Government, a Government spokesperson has confirmed.
The talks are set to take place at 2.30pm at Agriculture House in Dublin and come as protests over fuel prices entered a fourth day on Friday morning.
Protesters have blockaded Foynes and Galway ports and the Whitegate oil refinery in Cork.
Gardaí and the garda public order unit were on the scene at Whitegate on Friday morning.
The Government spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal: “Government has not contacted the protesters” to attend the talks.
The Irish Farmers Journal has confirmed that the following have been invited to the talks:
Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).Irish Farmers Association (IFA).Macra.Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec). Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG).Association of Farm Contractors of Ireland (FCI).Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA).Irish Road Hauliers Association (IRHA).The spokesperson said that Government will be “listening to those at the meeting” and that they “understand there is an expectation” for a package to tackle the issues raised by the protesters.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) is notably absent from the list of organisations invited to the meeting. This is understood to be on account of ICSA president Seán McNamara attending the protest over the last number of days in O’Connell Street.
ICSA president Seán McNamara at the protest on Tuesday. \ Philip Doyle
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State at the Department of Transport Seán Canney will lead the meeting.
The three junior ministers at the Department of Agriculture will also attend; Michael Healy-Rae, Noel Grealish and Timmy Dooley.
Christopher Duffy, one of the organisers of the current fuel price protests, stated on social media on Friday that he had been invited to a meeting with Government on Friday for talks on the current fuel price protests.
'Not the meeting we wanted'
Duffy said: “Yesterday evening they [Government] came back to us with a meeting, but not the meeting we wanted.”
He said that he and other protesters had requested a meeting with just themselves and the Government.
He also stated that the other organisations that have been attending meetings with Government over fuel prices “keep coming out with nothing”.
Large numbers of protesters were present at Whitegate on Thursday night. \ Philip Doyle
Duffy said he was not happy that the meeting included other organisations. However, he added that they were faced with two options; either refuse the meeting and make no progress, or accept the meeting and make a start.
He said that if they had got the meeting they asked for with just the Government and protesters, that the protest would end. However, Duffy said this meeting is “not acceptable enough for us to call off this”.
Duffy stated: “Talks are better than no talks, but without results I’m afraid I’ll be looking at Nelson’s pillar [now the Spire] for a long time. There could be grass growing down the M50 yet, because there will be nothing moving on it.”
Read more
Fuel shortage hits west of Ireland
Protesters say they won't lobby Government through haulage association or IFA
Dairy processors say protests are putting welfare of animals at acute risk
Lisavaird suspends white diesel sales at three branches
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